Montclair Man Trespasses to Steal Scrap Metal, Police Say

A Montclair man has been charged with theft after police say he loaded a truck with more than a thousand pounds of scrap metal from a building on Bell Street. 

Robert Larbalestrier, 30, was charged with defiant trespass and theft by unlawful taking on Wednedasy, August 21, Montclair Police said.

Police responded to a report of a suspicious man loading items into a silver truck outside 7 Bell St. at 12:44 a.m.   

According to police, officers found a truck containing scrap metal in the bed and saw Larbalestrier emerge from bushes near 82 Valley Road.

Larbalestrier told officers he was told he could take the items by someone named Kenny. A property manager of the building was contacted and told police there was no Kenny and that Larbalestrier did not have permission to go on the property.

The 12 cast iron heating system boiler sections, weighing about 100 pounds each, were found in the truck. Police say they belonged to the property manager and could be sold for about 13 cents a pound for a total value of about $156. 

Larbalestrier was arrested, processed and released pending a court date.