A city man who allegedly broke into the old School 5 building last week and stole computers and copper has been arrested, according to police reports.
Herman Peavy, 50-year-old, allegedly entered the building at the corner of Totowa and Sherman Avenues through a side door on Friday, October 13, 2016 at about 11 a.m. and removed computers, copper wiring, and other computer equipment from the building, according to the report.
Peavy was spotted by a security guard as he was taking items from the building and putting it into a shopping cart. The security guard approached and Peavy told him he had permission to remove the items from the building.
The suspect refused to provide his name to the security guard. The security guard snapped a picture of the suspect at the scene. He told his supervisor at the Paterson Public Schools. The next day, police responded to the building at 385 Totowa Avenue.
Police met with a former officer who works for the Paterson Public Schools who informed the officer there have been reports GM Scrap and Metal, LLC, a scrap yard on Presidential Boulevard, has been receiving properties bearing the school district’s logo.
The retired officer told the police officer the scrap yard would forward surveillance footage to the detective bureau for further investigation. The retired officer, Don Giaquinto, found the suspect at a scrap yard on East 7th Street at about 3 p.m. on Oct. 14, 2016 and contacted police.
Pevy was arrested at the scrap yard and charged with burglary.
“This was outstanding work. The team of facilities, security, and the Paterson Police working together brought this case to a swift and successful conclusion,” said James Smith, director of security at the public schools, when asked about the incident.
The police report does not state the value of the items Peavy took from the old School 5.
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