By: Richard L. Smith
A Montclair man has been arrested in connection with a burglary at the Montclair Film Festival offices, following a swift investigation by local police, according to information released by the Montclair Police Department.
Authorities responded to the organization's headquarters at 505 Bloomfield Avenue shortly after 11 a.m. on March 24, after receiving a report of a break-in that had occurred earlier.
An employee reported arriving to find the front door unsecured.
After inspecting the premises, staff discovered that roughly $6,000 worth of electronic equipment had been stolen from the podcast studio located in the building’s basement.
Security footage from inside and outside the facility showed a man entering the building at approximately 1:40 a.m.
He was seen heading into the basement, retrieving a messenger bag, and loading it with various pieces of equipment before leaving the scene.
Investigators quickly recognized the suspect from the video as Max Collazo, a 34-year-old Montclair resident known to local officers.
The following morning, around 10:10 a.m. on March 25, detectives located and apprehended Collazo at a NJ Transit bus stop along Bloomfield Avenue near Maple Avenue.
Further investigation linked Collazo to two additional burglaries reported on South Fullerton Avenue just days earlier.
Detectives also successfully recovered items believed to be the stolen property from the Montclair Film Festival burglary.
Collazo now faces charges of third-degree burglary and third-degree theft.