Police Make Arrest in String of Locker Room Thefts at YMCA

A Newark man was arrested in connection with multiple thefts at the YMCA of Montclair, Montclair Police Lt. Det. Angel Roman said.

Julian R. Yates, 19, was arrested at the YMCA last week after he was found with a social security card with another name on it and a GPS unit that matched the description of one reported stolen from the Park Street building on Sept. 23.

Yates was charged with possession of stolen property and Roman said he is linked to a total of seven recent thefts at the YMCA.

Police responded to a report on Oct. 4 at 1:23 p.m. of a suspicious person in the building. An employee told police Yates signed in for a guest pass and wandered around the facility for about an hour without using any of the exercise equipment. 

The employee said she believed he matched the description of the suspect in recent thefts from the men’s locker room.

Yates was found by police sitting on a bench in the men’s locker room with the social security card and GPS, Roman said.

Bail was set at $22,500 with a 10% option.