NEWARK, NJ – Newark Public Safety Director Brian A. O’Hara reports the arrest of Joseph R. Hernandez, 51, of Newark, who is a suspect in five business burglaries that occurred between December 3, 2021 and January 14, 2022.
At approximately 3:15 a.m., on December 3rd, police responded to Vinny’s Restaurant and Pizzeria, located at 22 Ferry Street, on a call of a burglary. A male suspect used an object to shatter the store’s front window and removed $300.00 from the cash register before fleeing, heading westbound on Ferry Street.
Also, on December 3rd, police responded to La Guayaca, a bakery and restaurant located at 74 Monroe Street, on a call of a burglary that occurred between the hours of 8:40 p.m. and 8 a.m. the following day. A suspect shattered a window, entered the business, and stole the cash register containing over $2,000.00. The business was burglarized twice more on December 13th and on January 14th. In both incidents, the front window was shattered.
On January 12th, police responded to Vando Pastel, a bakery located at 109 Wilson Avenue, on a call of a burglary. At approximately 3 a.m., a suspect broke the store’s front door, entered and stole $1,350.00 from the register before fleeing, heading east on Wilson Avenue.
Detectives investigating these burglaries identified Hernandez as a suspect. He was arrested yesterday at Frelinghuysen Avenue and Emmet Street in Newark. He faces charges of burglary, theft and criminal mischief.