Crime

Township police are investigating several incidents of criminal mischief that occurred in the early morning hours of Aug. 12. Sometime between 3:15-3:45 a.m., windows in four homes on Valley Wood Road in Somerset were broken by rocks, according to a press release.

Aug. 4 Christina Meleo of Franklin Park was cited for careless driving after her car ran off the road on South Middlebush Drive and struck a street sign and utility pole. Meleo told police that she had bent down to grab a hair clip that fell on the floor of her car when she lost control of her car.

Several car break-ins over the weekend have prompted renewed calls by township police for residents to lock their cars. A message sent out by the township on Aug. 11 noted that township and area police departments have seen an up-tick in car burglaries over the past several weeks.

July 30 Ismael Turcios of Elizabeth was cited for careless driving after his car struck a car driven by Myashia Clark of Somerset on Hamilton Street. Turcios was attempting a left turn from A&J Tire store when the accident occurred.

A 21-year-old Somerset man remains in custody in Somerset County Jail, Somerville, after he was arrested on drug-related charges. Tobias G. Vestal of Townsend Court was charged with 3rd Degree Possession of a CDS with Intent to Distribute and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, a Disorderly Persons offense, after police said they found 4 ounces of marijuana in his pockets.

July 25 Cars driven by Jacquelin Perrine of Kendall Park and Emma Singh of Monmouth Junction collided while they were both backing out of parking spaces in the Route 27 Stop n Shop lot.

July 23 Kairy Quinonez of Carteret was cited for careless driving after her car rear-ended one driven on Route 27 by Lauren Lubas of North Brunswick. Lubas said she was stopped in traffic when her car was hit, Quinonez said Lubas slammed on her brakes, leaving no time to avoid the accident.

Four township residents reported July 28 that their unlocked cars had been ransacked and, in two cases, documents stolen, police said. Residents of Dina Lane, Holland Drive, Brook Street and Coventry Lane told police that someone entered their cars and ransacked the interiors.

More than $23,000 in items were stolen from a Delar Parkway homeowner, police said. Police said the victim, who was not identified, reported on July 27 that the items were stolen from their home sometime between July 23 and July 26.

An employee at the Franklin Park Car Wash on Route 27 lost part of a finger July 26 while cleaning a car, police said. Police said the 38-year-old employee, who was not identified, was cleaning the left front wheel rim on a 2005 Hyundai XG3 when his left middle finger got caught in the rim.