Westfield police blotter: here's what's happening

WESTFIELD, N.J. — The Westfield Police Department responded to a series of incidents between September 22 and September 28, 2024, ranging from motor vehicle burglaries to theft and a warrant arrest.

On Sunday, two vehicle burglaries were reported in the 300 block of W. South Avenue, both occurring at the South Avenue train station parking lot. In the first incident, a victim reported at 10:32 p.m. that his vehicle had been entered, the steering column damaged, and several items stolen, including $1,300 in cash, a New Jersey ID, and an American Express credit card. The victim was unsure if the vehicle was locked at the time. In a similar incident at the same location and time, another victim reported the steering column and ignition of his vehicle were damaged, but it was unclear if any items were missing.

On Monday, a resident on Cacciola Place reported the theft of a license plate from his motorcycle. The theft occurred while the motorcycle was parked on the front lawn of his residence. The incident was discovered on September 23 at 8:56 a.m.

Later that afternoon, police arrested Iman Essiet, 34, of Newark, after determining she had an outstanding warrant from the New York City Police Department. Essiet was taken into custody on E. Broad Street and later transported to the Essex County Jail, where she awaits extradition to New York.

On Wednesday, a business in the 300 block of W. South Avenue reported the theft of approximately 20 gallons of used cooking oil over the course of a week. The stolen oil, valued at around $60, was discovered missing by a third-party retrieval company, which noted that the storage container had been tampered with.

In a separate incident on Friday, a resident on Walnut Street reported the theft of four packages from her front porch. The packages, delivered by Amazon on the afternoon of September 27, were stolen shortly after delivery. The total value of the stolen goods was estimated at $100. The resident captured footage of the theft using a doorbell security camera.

The Westfield Police Department continues to investigate these incidents.

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