MAYWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT

On December 5, 2018, the Maywood Police Department arrested Lennard Murphy, 30, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, Gary Washington, 25, of Bowie, Maryland, Marchael Clements, 24, of Bowie, Maryland, and Nichole Thomas, 42, of Washington D.C, for Burglary, Theft, Possession of Burglary Tools, Tampering with Evidence and Fraud.

 

Officer Peter Donatello was patrolling the parking lot of the HUMC Fitness & Wellness Center, located at 87 Route 17 North, when he observed a suspicious occupied vehicle parked in the rear of the lot. Due to several recent burglaries at the gym, Officer Donatello turned his patrol vehicle around to make contact with the occupants. As Officer Donatello approached the vehicle, the driver suddenly pulled out of the parking lot and exited onto Route 17. Officer Donatello conducted a motor vehicle stop on the vehicle and while speaking with the driver, he observed several cut Master Locks scattered on the floor. Officer Donatello also recognized the front seat passenger, later identified as Lennard Murphy, as a suspect in a gym locker theft that occurred on November 3, 2018 at the HUMC Fitness Center. Mr. Murphy was wearing the same exact clothing that he was wearing on November 3rd when he was captured on gym surveillance footage following the theft. A subsequent investigation led to the discovery of several bolt cutters, fraudulent identifications, gift cards and locks inside the vehicle.

 

Lennard Murphy, Marchael Clements, and Nichole Thomas were additionally charged by Detective Jason Liaban with burglary, theft, and credit card fraud for the theft that occurred on November 3rd. After committing this theft, the suspects used the victim’s credit card to purchase several gift cards at multiple CVS locations in the area.

All four defendants were issued criminal complaints and released pending their first appearance at the Bergen County Central Judicial Court.

​

These charges are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.