5 Things Police: Recycling Theft Attempt, Crash on Northfield

1. A sharp-eyed employee at Sears at the Livingston Mall foiled a plan to take large amounts of cardboard worth about $900 left out for recycling.

The employee grew suspicious when he observed a Penske rental truck pull up to the loading dock where the cardboard was waiting pickup by a contracted recycler. The worker was able to chase the would-be thief away after he placed a bundle of cardboard in the back of the truck. The cardboard fell off when the suspect hurriedly drove away, according to Det. Sgt. Anthony Dippold.

The truck was traced to Jose Vazquez, 44, of Belleville, who was arrested two days later on Sept. 29 and charged with attempted theft. He was released on his own recognizance pending an appearance in Livingston Municipal Court.

2. A West Orange woman was trapped inside her car after she crashed into a telephone pole on Northfield Road Sunday morning.

Haseya Karim, 21, of West Orange, was extricated by the Livingston Fire Department and taken to Saint Barnabas Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries, Dippold said.

Sections of Northfield Road were closed Sunday morning until crews could repair the pole and low-hanging wires, Dippold said.

Karim was driving a 2002 Nissan Altima on E. Northfield Avenue when she hit the pole shortly after 7:30 a.m. She was issued a summons for careless driving pending an appearance in Livingston Municipal Court.

3. A Livingston Police officer was injured in a struggle with a suspect who tried to elude police after a routine traffic stop.

Officer Jeff Cushman was treated for a back injury after the scuffle in a parking lot on East Cedar Street on Sept. 29, Dippold said.

Cushman attempted to stop a 1998 Ford pickup missing an inspection sticker near the firehouse on S. Livingston Avenue. The driver eluded the officer, but was spotted again turning left on East Cedar Street and parking the pickup in a lot behind a plumbing business. Cushman chased the suspect to another parking area, where he was found hiding behind a car.

Nicholas Carras, 44, of Livingston was charged by Livingston Police with driving on a revoked list and eluding police. He was also arrested on two outstanding warrants for failing to pay fines related to providing false information to police in 2011 in Wall and failing to pay fines for alleged drug charges a year earlier in Orange.

Carras was unable to post the $20,000 bail set by the Livingston Municipal Court judge. He was transported to Essex County Jail pending an appearance in Essex County Superior Court.

4. For more than a week, Millburn Township experienced a lull in break-ins to vehicles – until the overnight hours Monday, when police received five reports of car burglaries and a report of a stolen 2011 Cadillac, according to Millburn Police spokesman Lt. Peter Eakley. The Millburn Police department is working with police departments in nearby towns that are also experiencing a similar crime wave when it comes to .

“There is a cooperative effort on a regional basis to try and combat this continuing rash of criminal activity through sharing of intelligence and additional special details within the law enforcement community,” Eakley said.

5. An alleged shoplifter was caught Sept. 30 at at Saks Fifth Avenue at The Mall at Short Hills after that the suspect, Noe Rodriguez of Bayonne, was observed removing a Burberry Scarf (value $375), a Burberry Shirt (value $195), and a Burberry Tie (value $145) from the store.  A search of the suspect also found a Ralph Lauren belt (value $70) with a Macy’s tag. Rodriguez was placed under arrest, processed and then released pending his court date.  He was charged with shoplifting, and receiving stolen property.

Patch editor Laura Griffin contributed.