Opinion

Opinion & Viewpoints

EDITORIAL Reality check: Where we live, car doors must be locked

This is the next in a series of editorials — frankly, we’ve lost track of specifically how many there have been — designed to remind resident of the importance of locking car doors and not keeping the keys or fobs in them overnight or when you run into the store for 30 seconds.

This time, the warning comes from the Nutley Police Department. We’ve seen them from all the police departments we cover. And, without much doubt, we are certain this will not be the final one we get.

We’ve asked countless police brass and local leaders why these crimes keep on happening and the answers are becoming universal.

First, residents are having a tough time accepting they live in a town where cars are stolen, brazenly, right off of people’s driveways.

Next, criminals are well aware of this.

The Nutley PD estimated 90% of all vehicles stolen in that township were of cars left running (I’m just running into the store for one thing) or where keys were just sitting there, with unlocked doors, inviting criminals in, making their jobs more simple than anything you could imagine.

Think of this for a second. Let’s say you own a laptop. It’s valued at $1,200. You get home, put it on the roof of your car, grab a few other items — and then head inside the house. But then you realize you left the laptop on top of the car. Not one person reading this editorial says, “Eh, I will grab it tomorrow.” No, you head right outside and bring the thing inside immediately.

So how or why is it people don’t do the same with keys or fobs that allow something worth considerably more than a laptop to be taken without any assistance?

The reality is that though we are generally safe in this area, we live in a place where cars are stolen. It is certainly not because more criminals live here. Instead, it’s because too many can’t accept the reality — and that reality is cars are easy to take here.

Residents just make it too easy.

So, please. Help the police. Help you neighbors. Accept the new reality. Start locking your cars and don’t leave them running, unattended, even for 30 seconds.

In loving memory of Jerry Tolve

To the Editor:

We first met Jerry Tolve on a random Tuesday night, seven years ago, at Lassoni Ristorante in North Arlington. Giuseppe (Lassoni) invited us to come see Jerry sing for the first time. My husband and I went with a few of our friends for dinner and arrived while Jerry was setting up. We were just doing our thing not really paying attention until that velvet voice came crooning over the mic.

We thought, “This guy is fantastic!”

And the rest is history.

From then on, for the next five years, Tuesday nights with Jerry became “Dance Night” at Lassoni. Each week, the crowd got bigger and bigger and there was rarely a Tuesday night we missed. We always had a huge table for 10 right next to Jerry and always had more friends showing up throughout the night, so that we were squeezing more chairs in.

After the dinner crowd would dwindle, we would move the tables and make a bigger dance floor. It got to the point Jerry was staying until midnight because we were having such a ball singing along and dancing. He would sing all of our favorites and while he was taking a break, he would program all our favorite dance songs so we could keep dancing.

Oh, the Tuesday night shenanigans that were had by all!

If you were there, you know what I’m talking about.

We became great friends with Jerry and he was a big part of so many of our events, including my husband’s 50th birthday party, our kids’ birthday dinners, anniversary and engagement celebrations and so many memorable friend-dinners at Lassoni. He even MC’d a hilarious dance competition night between my husband and me and a few of our good friends.

He was the MC and judge for the coveted award of the “Left Footed Losers.” We laughed all night because our “rival couple” dressed up like contestants on “Dancing With the Stars.” We made so many happy memories with Jerry always at the helm. He never forgot to play my husband’s favorite song “Lonely Teardrops” and always sang a song for me he knew reminded me of my mother.

When he found out our wedding song, he never failed to sneak it in so we could dance to it. You can hear him singing in the background of every video clip and see him in almost every pic. He would sit and hang out with us in between sets and really became a special person in our lives.

We were saddened when he was diagnosed with ALS, but boy, did he teach us all a lesson in grace and dignity. He still always had a smile on his face and his faith was unwavering. He took every hurdle and kept moving forward, even as his situation was becoming more and more challenging.

Even though we didn’t see him as much anymore, I had the pleasure of speaking to him a few times as he said it was difficult for him to text. He was cheerful and optimistic and always grateful. I told him how special he was to all of us and that we missed our Tuesday night shenanigans at Lassoni. They truly were the best of times and he agreed.

Jerry was always a gentlemen and a wonderful human. He will be sorely missed and we are all better for having known him.

Love and prayers to the Tolve Family.

Angela and Joe Muriale North Arlington

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

In Memoriam Mary A. Tortoreti 1942-2016

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Wednesday, February 23, 2022 The Observer | www.theobserver.com

7

LPD: Bronx man arrested yet again

By Kevin A. Canessa Jr.

kc@theobserver.com

Perhaps Miguel Arias, 36, would be better served staying in the Bronx and not visiting Lyndhurst?

Why, you ask?

Well, for the second time in 11 days, Arias finds himself in hot water with the Lyndhurst Police Department, Det. Lt. Vincent Auteri told The Observer.

According to Auteri:

Last week, Feb. 15 to be precise, officers observed a van being operated without a front plate. Further investigation revealed the rear tag was fraudulent, so officers executed a motor-vehicle stop.

Det. Chris Cuneo recognized the driver as Arias, who had been arrested Feb. 4 on fraud and drug-related charges. A week before that, Auteri says, Arias had been arrested on similar charges by the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office.

A search of the van by Cuneo and Officers Ed Montoya and Angel Batista revealed Arias to be in possession of ecstasy and drug paraphernalia.

He was charged with possession of controlled-dangerous substances and possession of drug paraphernalia, before, you guessed it, being released on his own recognizance.

Totowa man’s visit isn’t so peaceful: Lyndhurst PD

By Kevin A. Canessa Jr.

kc@theobserver.com

A51-year-old Totowa man was sent to hospital for treatment following his arrest by the Lyndhurst Police Department last week, Det. Lt. Vincent Auteri said.

According to Auteri:

The Lyndhurst PD, on Feb. 18 at around 8 p.m., responded to reports of a drunken driver traveling south on Ridge Road near Kingsland Avenue. Once in the area, Officers Anthony Giaquinto and Michael Carrino were able to locate the subject vehicle as it attempted to parallel park on Ridge Road near Summer Avenue.

Officer Carrino approached the driver, Paresh Ghandi, and was immediately able to determine he was impaired. Officer Giaquinto then observed what appeared to fresh damage to the vehicle’s front end.

Carrino, Giaquinto and Officer Matt Dudek uncovered a large quantity of numerous types of prescription drugs in the vehicle. The drugs were not labeled with the drug name of the rightful owner.

Gandhi failed field-sobriety tests at the scene and Officer Carrino placed him under arrest.

While at headquarters, Gandhi began to experience a medical episode and was subsequently transported to Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, for medical evaluation, where he was ultimately admitted.

He was charged with six counts of illegally possessing a prescription legend drug. It is unclear whether Gandhi struck any vehicles during his travels to Lyndhurst.

The Queen of Peace Knights of Columbus sponsor a benefit breakfast on behalf of the North Arlington Community Emergency Response Team, CERT, Sunday, March 6, at 10 a.m., at the Columbian Club Hall.

You may either eat-in or order takeaway. Enjoy a breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, pancakes, cereal, oatmeal and bagels, and help a great community volunteer

Knights hosting breakfast to benefit NA CERT Team

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

organization at the same time. The cost is $15 per adult and $10 for children aged 6 to 11. Reservations must be made by calling (201) 988-0183. The Knights ask those dining in to consider donating a non-perishable, non-expired food item for their “Food for Families” project.

— CANESSA

LPD: Man with 2 warrants arrested

Adetective’s strong instincts led to the arrest of a 29-year-old Bronx man who had unprescribed Oxycontin on him and who was the subject of two outstanding burglary arrest warrants, Det. Lt. Vincent Auteri said.

While investigating another matter Friday, Feb. 18, Det. Chris Cuneo says observed an older model Porsche Cayenne in the area of a business on Orient Way and Rutherford Avenue.

Det. Cuneo ran a random license plate inquiry on the vehicle and learned the registered owner of the vehicle, Kaseem Kidd, was wanted for burglary in Middletown (N.J.) and Atlantic Highlands.

Cuneo stopped the driver and found Kidd was in it. Officers Michael Clifford and Michael Scalese assisted with the stop and arrest.

A search of Kidd upon arrest revealed he was in possession of a small amount of Oxycontin. He was charged with possession of CDS before being released into the custody of the Middletown Police Department.

— CANESSA

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KPD: Man stole friend’s identity in 2021, is arrested

By Capt. Timothy Wagner

Kearny Police Department

On May 14, 2021, a 20-yearold Kearny man reported to police that he was the victim of identity theft. The victim was tipped off when he received an email indicating a credit card for which he had not applied was on its way to him in the mail. After following up with a credit-reporting agency, the victim learned several accounts had been opened in his name, including one for a $20,000 loan.

On July 7, the victim became suspicious the identity thief might be Phillip D. Biet, 20, of Kearny, a friend who knew his personal-identifying information from prior involvement with a Small Business Association PPP loan application.

Det. John Fabula picked up the case — historically very bad news for people benefiting from elaborate theft schemes. Fabula conducted an extensive investigation leading to numerous communications-data warrants, seizure orders for over 30 bank accounts and search warrants for Biet’s Patterson Street home and Dodge Charger, the person of Gregory Costa and a premises on Port Avenue in Elizabeth.

In the early hours of Nov. 22, Kearny detectives assisted by the Hudson County Regional SWAT Team, executed the warrant to search Biet’s home and car. They recovered over $66,000 cash; over 30 credit cards; computer and electronic equipment; numerous cellular phones; a replica submachine gun and a replica AK-47 assault rifle, both which fired blanks; blank ammunition; a fraudulent driver’s license; fraudulent check stubs; checks; a ledger and receipts.

On Feb. 8, 2022, the Elizabeth Police Department’s Emergency Services Unit assisted Kearny detectives in executing an earlymorning search warrant of a Port Avenue premises in Elizabeth. As a result of that warrant, Gregory Costa, 18, was turned over to Elizabeth police for drug-related offenses.

On Feb. 11, Biet turned himself in at KPD headquarters for formal charging and was charged by summons with money laundering (multiple counts), financial facilitation of criminal activity, theft by deception (multiple counts), credit card theft, possession of a false government document, forgery (multiple counts), possession of forgery devices, theft of identity and frauds related to credit cards. The investigation remains ongoing.

On Feb. 12 at 11:04 a.m., Officers Angel Martinez and Sean Brady responded to a call of a car burglary in-progress on Chestnut Street. The caller met officers and reported she witnessed a young man enter the driver’s side door of her BMW SUV and begin rummaging through her vehicle.

The woman’s husband confronted the burglar and chased him on foot to a pharmacy on Kearny Avenue. There, a physical struggle ensued, in which the burglar allegedly punched the husband in the face before running back out onto Kearny Avenue.

Undeterred, the husband resumed the foot chase until police officers joined in on Pavonia Avenue.

Officers Alan Stickno, Cort Montanino, Mat Lopez and Sean Podolski chased the burglar through backyards, finally apprehending him near the Salvation Army building on Chestnut Street.

The burglar was identified as a 17-year-old Newark boy. He was charged under juvenile delinquency with burglary, obstructing the administration of law, resisting arrest, robbery and trespass. The boy was remanded by a juvenile intake officer to the Essex County Juvenile Detention Center.

On Feb. 16, Dets. Jordenson Jean, Kyle Plaugic and Sgt. Neil Nelson arrested Dino J. Demetro, 40, near his Belleville home. Demetro had filed a police report of a gunpoint robbery in Kearny on May 7, 2021. However, Det. Jean’s investigation led to probable cause to charge Demetro with two counts of false

POLICE BEAT

See KPD, Page 19