A wave of thefts and auto burglaries surged through Newark in the last week of November. In a series of incidents documented between November 27 and December 3, 2023, police responded to numerous crimes ranging from drug possession to vandalism. The blotter noted a total of over a dozen auto burglaries, including stolen vehicles, shattered windows, and swiped possessions such as tools, batteries, clothes, and even a pair of work shoes, as per Newark Police Department.
An early Monday morning altercation on Inverness Drive saw Officer Herrera and Officer Swadener interrupt an auto burglary in progress. Although a suspect vehicle was spotted, it eluded capture as officers chose not to give chase. Despite this setback, the officers recovered a stolen vehicle and identified other vehicles that had been burglarized. Window-smash auto burglaries seemed to be a recurring modus operandi, with several incidents, including one investigated by Officer Jackman on the 36000 block of Bettencourt Street, where the extent of the loss was unknown.
Equally concerning were the incidents of personal altercations and substance abuse, which landed several individuals in custody. A dispute between a husband and wife resulted in the arrest of a 48-year-old woman, while a separate incident on Cedar Boulevard led to the apprehension of a 60-year-old Fremont woman found with illegal narcotics and in a state unable to care for herself. Another encounter involved a 37-year-old male out of Fremont who was arrested for drug possession, according to Newark Police Department.
The city's retail areas also fell victim to petty thefts, including an incident whereby Officer Swadener chased down two female suspects following a theft from a business on Newpark Mall Road. On a different occasion, officers probed the theft of an AirPod case and wallet from a locked locker at the same location. From stolen packages on residential streets to catalytic converter thefts, the scope of the crimes underscored a period of heightened criminal activity within the Newark community.
