Grandma says she wasn’t in on Rockaway break-in

A 78-year-old woman who is accused of driving her grandson and his girlfriend to and from a Rockaway Township house burglary said Wednesday she was unwittingly drawn into an alleged crime but bears no ill will toward the suspects.

Pine Brook resident Vera Buniak, who uses a walker for mobility, was in Superior Court, Morristown, with her son and defense lawyer James Porfido for a conference on the charge against her -- possession of stolen property.

“She’s, unfortunately, a victim of circumstances,” Porfido said in an interview.

Morris County Assistant Prosecutor Tara Vyas told Judge William McGovern that the stolen property charge would be marked for presentation to a county grand jury for possible indictment.

But Porfido said he hopes the Prosecutor’s Office will dismiss the charge against Buniak and he has turned over to the state a letter written by burglary suspect Melanie Coviello that clears the senior citizen.

On July 27 at 12:54 p.m., Rockaway Township police responded to a call of a burglary in progress on Rolling Ridge Drive. The caller, who lived on the street where the burglary allegedly was occurring, provided police with a description of the suspect’s car, its license plate number and description of the occupants, police said.

Officer Matt Scherr spotted the vehicle heading south on Green Pond Road, and stopped the car’s driver -- Vera Buniak -- in the Hibernia section of the township. Another officer alerted the homeowner, who provided a list of missing property, valued at $4,000, including a Nintendo Wii, video games and other items, police said.

Buniak said Wednesday that she drove her grandson, Timothy Buniak, 18, of Dover, and his girlfriend, Melanie Coviello, 24, of Denville, to some houses on July 27. She said she was helping Coviello, who had a job taking photographs of vacant houses facing foreclosure, because Coviello doesn’t currently have a driver’s license.

The job gave Coviello access to the interiors of the houses, but only for legitimate business purposes, authorities have said.

Buniak said that Coviello emerged from the Rolling Ridge Drive home with a Wii and some video games and Coviello told her that the property had been damaged. Buniak said her Chevrolet was stopped by police after she drove away from the house.

Buniak said she has since learned that her grandson and Coviello are battling addictions to heroin.

“I feel awful that my grandson didn’t confide in me and tell me he had a problem,” Buniak said. “It’s a shame about Melanie and I feel bad for her. She was good at what she did and was kind to people.”

Buniak said she even understands that the police found the items in her car and probably had no choice but to charge her. But she said she hopes the charge will be dropped.

Porfido said that Coviello wrote an apologetic letter to Buniak that absolves her of any responsibility in the alleged burglary and thanks her for her kindness. Porfido said he has turned the letter over to the Prosecutor’s Office. The letter, read by the Daily Record, alludes to drug addiction.

“I know that doesn’t make up for that awful day and what me and Tim have been trying to hide from everyday...,” Coviello’s letter said, in part.

After police stopped Buniak’s Chevrolet, police found items inside the vehicle that allegedly were taken from the Rockaway Township home, along with suspected heroin and a hypodermic needle.

Both Timothy Buniak and Coviello are due in Superior Court for conferences on their charges next week. Buniak is charged with burglary, theft, possession of stolen property, heroin, and a hypodermic needle. Coviello is charged with burglary, theft and possession of stolen property.

Staff Writer Peggy Wright: 973-267-1142; pwright@GannettNJ.com.