FLORHAM PARK – On Monday, August 19, at 10:25 a.m., Officers Chris Heredia and Charlie Greenstein of Florham Park, along with Sergeant Joel Phillips, responded to a local business after an employee reported that someone may have attempted to make a fraudulent purchase. Officers located the suspect’s vehicle on Columbia Turnpike near Park Avenue as the individual fled the scene. During the pursuit, they discovered that the vehicle’s license plate had been reported stolen. Officers were able to stop the vehicle on Columbia Road in Morris Township.
During the roadside investigation, officers discovered that the driver, a 21-year-old man from Syracuse, New York, had stolen items including a key fob for a Cadillac Escalade and other items he had taken from additional victims. The driver was arrested and further investigation revealed that not only had the license plate been stolen, but that the vehicle had also been stolen from another victim in Broome County, New York. Inside the vehicle, officers found numerous other stolen items and suspected burglary tools.
The suspect had attempted to trade the stolen vehicle for another vehicle at the local store, but was unable to fool the employee. After fleeing the store, the suspect attempted to steal a Cadillac Escalade, but was unsuccessful. The stolen vehicle was towed and the suspect was charged with several felonies.
Other law enforcement agencies were alerted as the vehicle was reportedly involved in a previous chase and was linked to several other thefts in New Jersey and New York. The suspect was investigated for the following charges and was subsequently lodged in the Morris County Correctional Facility pending a detention hearing before a Morris County Superior Court Judge:
- 2C:20-10.1 – Attempted theft of a motor vehicle (second degree offense)
- 2C:20-10.2 – Receiving stolen goods (motor vehicle) (third degree offense)
- 2C:20-7a – Receiving stolen goods (other) (four counts: two third-degree felonies and two misdemeanors)
- 2C:20-7.1 – Fencing (third degree felony)
- 2C:5-5a – Possession of burglary tools (public order offence)
In addition, other traffic offenses were charged.
