Three teenagers were arrested this week after an investigation into a stolen vehicle pursuit in Secaucus, Police Chief Dennis Miller announced.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
On June 16th at approximately 4:57 a.m., Secaucus Police Officer Christopher Miller was patrolling the 600 block of 4th Street, Miller said in a statement.
While patrolling, a male was in the process of breaking into an Audi Q5 and Jeep Wrangler, which were parked in front of a 4th Street residence. Miller observed a man run toward an awaiting Kia Sportage, where the occupants were wearing ski-masks and fled the area.
PMiller attempted to stop the Kia Sportage, which was discovered to have been stolen from Jersey City on June 12th.
The stolen vehicle refused to stop and a vehicular pursuit was initiated. The stolen vehicle was pursued though Jersey City into Bayonne and back into Jersey City, however the pursuit was ultimately terminated.
In the late morning hours of June 16th, additional burglaries, an attempted burglary and a theft from vehicles parked on the 700 block of 10th Street were reported to the Secaucus Police Department.
The investigation revealed that the occupants of the stolen Kia were also responsible for these burglaries and thefts.
On June 18th, the stolen Kia Sportage was recovered in Jersey City by the Jersey City Police Department. While processing the stolen vehicle for evidence, Secaucus detectives discovered that the vehicle had suffered two bullet defects.
After an exhaustive investigation, on July 10th, detectives from the Secaucus Police Anti-Crime Unit arrested the juvenile who was observed burglarizing the vehicles on 4th Street and running into the stolen Kia.
He was identified as a 16-year-old boy, of Orange, and he was charged with four counts of burglary. criminal attempt to commit burglary, four counts of conspiracy to commit burglary, receiving a stolen vehicle, four counts of criminal attempt to commit theft of a motor vehicle, and theft of moveable property.
He was taken to the Morris County Youth Detention Facility.
On July 12th, detectives from the Secaucus Police Anti-Crime Unit arrested a 17-year-old boy, of Jersey City, who was charged with four counts of burglary, criminal attempt to commit burglary, four counts of conspiracy to commit burglary, receiving a stolen vehicle, four counts of criminal attempt to commit theft of a motor vehicle, and theft of moveable property.
Due to him already being on electronic monitoring, he was released from custody.
Also on July 12, 2024 a 16-year-old girl, of Jersey City, was arrested and charged by the Secaucus Police Anti-Crime Unit since she was observed inside the stolen Kia Sportage.
She was charged with receiving a stolen vehicle and released to the custody of her parents.
“I fully support the decision making to pursue these criminals in an attempt to protect the property of our residents, which was in compliance with current pursuit directives,” Miller added.
“The police officers involved here highlight that our officers are out there attempting to curtail criminal activity when our residents are asleep. Recovering the stolen vehicle with damage from gunfire once again highlights that the juveniles committing car thefts are not just children out for joyride, they are criminals that need to be held accountable.”
The investigation is ongoing and additional arrests and/or charges may follow.
Anyone with any additional information can contact the Secaucus Police Detective Division at (201) 330-2052 or detectivedivsion@secaucusnjpolice.gov.
