Burglaries, Drug Activity on Police Radar, Chief Says

Police will continue to patrol the area in and around where “numerous” drug related arrests have occurred in recent weeks.

Police Chief John Reardon said there have been several instances of people trying to fill false prescriptions at the location recently. The location has been a popular choice for shoplifters to hit too.

Two New York men after said they had 48 fraudulent cards in their possession. The men were found in the CVS parking lot.

CVS is located less than a mile from the Wayne-Paterson border and across from . Police regularly patrol the area.

Reardon said that “increased attention” in the area “will continue indefinitely.” He noted that prescription drug abuse has become “a big issue everywhere.” Police pay extra attention to the several pharmacies in Wayne for suspicious activity because of this.

Wayne police have been busy this summer.

They are investigating home invasion on Ambassador Drive, the latest in a string of similar incidents in town .

The department has been successful in combating these incidents because it has been proactive, Reardon said. Tips from residents have allowed the department to better properly assign personnel to areas of concern where burglaries and home invasions could likely occur.

Police had Ronald Catti under surveillance after naming him a suspect in several of the aforementioned burglaries.

Police detective watched Catti burglarize a home in Little Falls and return to Wayne afterwards. Police from multiple law enforcement agencies pursued Catti until they in a residential backyard.

Two women  in mid-June after they allegedly broke into an abandoned home on Brookside Road.

Two Hackensack men  in early June after they allegedly broke into a home on Fairfield Road and led police on a foot chase for several hours. Two other men eluded authorities.

The arrests were made as a result of residences reporting suspicious activity to police.

Reardon said the department has been “very active” lately and that officers “have been doing a tremendous job with all of these arrests.”

Residents should report any suspicious activity to the department immediately. The department can be reached at 973-694-0600.

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