Crime & Safety

South Orange Police Blotter: SOPD Halts an Armed Robbery

The following arrest information was supplied by the South Orange police department. It does not indicate a conviction.

  • A Newark resident told police that her Samsung Galaxy cell phone was taken from Pathmark on March 20, at approximately 3:30 p.m., as she was paying for groceries.
  • Faye Harris, 34, was arrested on March 23, at approximately 9 a.m., after officers responded to a call of a robbery taking place at the Village Smoke Shop located on Village Plaza. When officers arrived, Harris was in possession of a knife and was demanding money from the store manager. Officers confronted Harris and ordered her to drop the knife. After Harris refused to comply, the officers disarmed her and took her into custody. No injuries were reported.

  • Elijah Brown, 18, of East Orange, was arrested on March 24, at 4:22 p.m., after an officer saw Brown fighting while at the basketball courts located at the Baird Community Center. Brown was taken into custody after refusing to comply and stop fighting.

  • Hayden Skeete, 49, of South Orange was arrested on March 25 at 2:34 a.m. after officers arrived at his residence on reports of a domestic violence dispute. Skeete was arrested after it was discovered Brown had physically assaulted someone living with him.

  • A 22-year-old South Orange resident said on March 25, at approximately 1 a.m., he was physically assaulted and robbed while walking on South Orange Avenue in the area of Kingman Road. The victim said he was approached on the street by a group of approximately 10 teenage black men. The victim said when he crossed the street, the group followed him and after catching up to him they began to assault him and in the process removed his jacket which contained his cell phone and debit card. The teens were all in dark clothing.

  • A Pennsylvania resident said on March 27, at approximately 9:25 p.m., he was a carjacking victim while he was in front of an Irvington Avenue business waiting to pick up Chinese food. The victim said a black man, approximately 20 years old, with dreadlocks, exited a white Subaru and proceeded to physically pull him from his vehicle.  After doing so, the man got into the vehicle and drove east on Irvington Ave., while also being followed by the white Subaru.  The white Subaru was reported stolen out of the city of Belleville on March 26.  Newark police chased the vehicles and were able to make two apprehensions.  The investigation is still ongoing as a collaborative effort between the South Orange Detective Bureau, Essex County Prosecutor's Office and Newark Police.


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