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Crime & Safety

Alert Resident Leads Police to Arrest in Home Burglary

Man spotted entering abandoned Lake Hiawatha residence.

Thanks to a report from an alert resident, police apprehended a man who has been charged with the burglary of Lake Hiawatha home.

Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Officers Matthew McAuliffe and Gian Cacioppo responded to a Wilbur Avenue residence in the Lake Hiawatha section of the township at 12:34 p.m. Wednesday after a citizen reported that a suspicious male was entering a residence.

The residence had been abandoned after flooding caused by Hurricane Irene.

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The officers arrived to find a man carrying a black backpack exiting the rear door of the residence. Police report that a brief investigation revealed that the man was in possession of a cell phone, cell phone chargers and a change purse from the residence.

Robert Dipchan, 29, of Lake Hiawatha was placed under arrest and taken to the Parsippany Police Department, where he was processed before being release into the custody of the Morris County Jail in lieu of $50,000 cash bail.

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Dipchan was charged with burglary, theft and possession of burglar tools (two flathead screwdrivers).

Police also reported apprehending and charging a Newark man with violating the drug possession and prescription drug distribution law.

At 9:56 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16, members of the Investigative Division stopped a vehicle driven by Maurice T. Wise, 21, of Newark on Route 46 East just past Smith Road. After a brief investigation after the stop, Wise was found to be in possession of 120, 30 mg Oxycodone tablets without a prescription, police said.

Wise was processed and charged with violation of The New Jersey Prescription Drug Possession and Prescription Drug Distribution Law, which is a second degree crime.

He was turned over to the Morris County Jail, where he was held in lieu of $150,000 bail.

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