POLICE BEAT 02/06

From the Feb. 2 edition of the Register-News.

By:
FLORENCE

   James Lawrence, 22, of Burlington Township, was charged with possession of cocaine and possession with the intent to distribute during an investigation of a disorderly persons complaint on Main Street in Roebling on Feb. 1, said police.
   Police said the complaint came at 1 a.m. on Feb. 1. Police said Mr. Lawrence was found to have an active motor vehicle warrant from Westampton.
   During a search of Mr. Lawrence, police found what appeared to be a packet of cocaine packaged for distribution. Police said he was lodged in Burlington County Jail in lieu of $15,000 bail.
BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP

   Pravin D. Patel, 45, of Columbus was charged Jan. 15 with shoplifting at the ShopRite off Route 206, police said.
   He picked up two packages of photographs he was having developed at the courtesy desk, then placed all the photographs in one package, police said.
   Mr. Patel was apprehended when leaving the store. The total value of the theft was $7.99, police said.
   Mr. Patel was transported to the Bordentown Township Police Station and processed. He was served with a court summons and court date.
   
   
   Alberto Roman, 37, address unknown, was arrested and charged with shoplifting and possession of drug paraphernalia on Jan. 16.
   Mr. Roman was shopping at the Blockbuster Video off Route 206 when he pushed his son’s stroller through the exit sensors and set them off, police said. When the alarms went off, Mr. Roman handed over a PlayStation 2 game and explained that his son must have put it in the stroller, police said.
   When Mr. Roman was asked to come back through the sensors, he exited the store, according to police reports.
   Mr. Roman was pushing the stroller toward the ShopRite when police arrived, according to reports.
   The Blockbuster Video manager advised the officer that Mr. Roman had taken PlayStation 2 games. The officer then found 19 PlayStation games in the stroller valued at $950, according to police.
   Mr. Roman was then placed under arrest. Upon further search, police found a homemade crack pipe, police said.
   Mr. Roman was processed and bail was set for $5,000. A court date was set for Jan. 22.
   
   On Dec. 29, Fredrick A. Merlino, 44, and Denise Merlino, 43, both of Trenton, were arrested and charged with shoplifting at the Bordentown ShopRite.
   Store security told police he observed both subjects concealing merchandise in their jacket pockets. The couple left the store and were apprehended outside, police said.
   Police said the suspects resided at the same address but could not confirm their relationship.
   The merchandise totaled $32.75 and included batteries and a razor, among other personal hygiene items. All the merchandise was recovered, police said.
   Both were transported to Bordentown Township Police Department and were processed. Bail was set for Mr. Merlino in the amount of $1,000. Ms. Merlino was served with a summons and was released.
   On Dec. 19, David Weinkopff, 35, and Natalie Weinkopff, 53, both of Trenton, were arrested and charged with shoplifting at the Bordentown ShopRite.
   Police were called to the store on report of store security chasing a man for shoplifting.
   Police said the suspects resided at the same address but could not confirm their relationship.
   The officer spotted the Weinkopffs on Route 206 near Heiser Avenue and stopped them for questioning, police said.
   Police transported the two back to the store for identification. A store cashier identified the couple as the people who came through her line.
   The cashier said Ms. Weinkopff was making her purchase when she heard a sound and saw that a package of meat had fallen from Ms. Weinkopff’s jacket, police said.
   Ms. Weinkopff then picked the package back up and proceeded to exit the store, police said.
   Security attempted to keep Mr. Weinkopff in the store, but he too exited, police said.
   The two were transported to the Bordentown Township Police station, where they were processed. Complaints were signed against Mr. Weinkopff and a summons was issued to Ms. Weinkopff.