5 Arrested In West Essex After Car Thefts, Burglaries: Police

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — North Caldwell police are asking residents to check their vehicles for missing items after a series of car thefts and burglaries took place in the area Wednesday morning.

According to the North Caldwell Police Department, five people were arrested overall in relation to the thefts, which included stolen vehicles from Maplewood and Morris Plains, and thefts in East Hanover and Morris Plains.

Police Chief Mark Deuer said that local officers arrested two suspects after a foot chase in North Caldwell. A separate foot chase took place in Essex Fells when suspects “bailed out” of their vehicle and tried to escape officers from North Caldwell, Verona, Essex Fells and Caldwell.

A North Caldwell sergeant suffered a non-life-threatening injury when he tried to grab onto the window of one of the stolen vehicles as it sped away, West Essex Now reported.

Police found a handgun inside one of the stolen vehicles, Deuer said.

The arrestees and charges included an unnamed 17-year-old Newark male, as well as:

• Chigemezu Nwigwe, 18, of Maplewood - aggravated assault on a police officer, receiving stolen property, eluding, burglary, obstruction
• Daezhom Carter, 18, of Maplewood - receiving stolen property, eluding, obstruction
• Justin L. Wilson, 18, of Collingswood - receiving stolen property, conspiracy to commit burglary
• Idris Y. Carter, 19, of Newark - receiving stolen property, conspiracy to commit burglary

This is a developing story. Patch will update this article if more information becomes available.

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