Catalytic Converter Theft; Driver Flees Officer: Parsippany PD Blotter

PARSIPPANY, NJ — Shoplifting reports, stolen catalytic converters, and burglaries are among the recent incidents that Parsippany Police noted in their latest police blotter.

Police shared a list of some notable calls for service from Jan. 25 through Jan. 31, including:

On Jan. 25 at 11:18 p.m., officers on patrol stopped a driver who had a license plate that did not match the vehicle's registration. Officers tried to stop the Ford Explorer near the intersection of Route 46 West and North Beverwyck Road.

Police said the driver did not stop, continuing on Route 46 West and leading police on a short chase before crashing into a utility pole in the driveway of Troy Hills Gardens. The driver jumped out of the vehicle, ignoring officers' commands to stop and running in the apartment complex, said officials. Police later located the man, identified as a 35-year-old Parsippany resident, and charged him with a variety of traffic crimes as well as third-degree eluding.

On Jan. 26 at 10 p.m., police arrested a 36-year-old Paterson man accused of stealing tires and rims from the Avis Rental Car center at 379 Parsippany Road.

On Jan. 28 at 10:36 a.m., police responded to a residence on Carlstadt Road for a reported theft, where the homeowner said someone cut the catalytic converter off of their vehicle overnight.

On Jan. 29 at 9:55 a.m. and at 10:40 a.m., officers responded to residences on Parsippany Road for a reported theft. Both victims reported that an unknown suspect removed the catalytic converters from their vehicles, either overnight on Jan. 27 or on Jan. 28.

On Jan. 29 at 8:58 p.m., a resident from Lake Shore Drive (Lake Parsippany) went to police headquarters and reported that someone had taken a catalytic converter from his home sometime between Jan. 27 and Jan. 28.

On Jan. 29 at 9:29 p.m., a Parsippany officer saw a 2018 BMW failing to maintain its lane, and stopped the driver in the area of Route 46 East and New Road. Police said the driver, 36-year-old Januari Patterson of Missouri City, Texas, had an active warrant issued by the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office for a probation violation. Police arrested Patterson and transported her to headquarters for processing, and she will await an extradition hearing at the Morris County Correctional Facility.

On Jan. 31, police responded to two shoplifting incidents on Waterview Boulevard, at Homesense and Ulta Beauty. Employees at Ulta Beauty told police that 3 female suspect entered the store shortly before 12:24 p.m., shoplifted over $400 worth of products, then fled the scene. The loss prevention officer at Homesense told officers that two white males dressed in black entered the store around 1:20 p.m. on Jan. 24 and shoplifted approximately $490 worth of merchandise, then left the area.

Anyone with information on the catalytic converter thefts or the shoplifting incidents is asked to call the Parsippany Department’s Investigative Division at 973-263-4300.

Click here to read the full summary released by Parsippany Police.