Crime & Safety
Hoboken Police Charge 2 Teens After Chase In Stolen Car
After a harrowing police chase involving fireworks, and an investigation, police arrested two Newark residents, including a teenager.
HOBOKEN, NJ — After a car chase and subsequent investigation, the Hoboken police were able to nab two Newark residents, including a 15-year-old, in connection with a car theft on Washington Street. Police said the car was stolen on Friday after a man left his keys in it while picking up a restaurant delivery.
The police gave these details:
On Friday, around 9:12 p.m., officers Damien Bates and Dylan Archilla responded to the 500 block of Washington Street on a report of a stolen vehicle.
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The victim, a 24-year-old man from Bayonne, reported that he parked his vehicle, a 2007 blue Honda Accord, at about 9:05 p.m. He left his vehicle unattended and unsecured with the keys in the vehicle. He went to a nearby restaurant to pick up a delivery order.
When he returned five minutes later, the car was gone.
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Officer Bates broadcasted a description of the vehicle over the police radio. Minutes later, Officer Kyle Seper located the vehicle traveling southbound on River Street from First Street.
Officer Seper initiated a motor vehicle stop. The vehicle stopped in the area of 30 Newark St. But then the driver again started driving away.
Officer Michael Straten joined the pursuit in the area of Observer Highway and Willow Avenue.
Officer Seper observed an object being held out the driver side window and observed it smoking and sizzling. Then it was thrown at him. Officer Seper heard a slight explosion of what he believed to be fireworks and ran over the object.
At the city's southern border with Jersey City, the chase was terminated by Lt. Keith Rotondi and Sgt. David Olivera. The stolen vehicle was entered into the National Crime Information Center and surrounding jurisdictions were notified.
At about 11:18 p.m., the Newark Police Department recovered the stolen vehicle. The vehicle was recovered with a fictitious plate. The plates belonging to the vehicle were now missing.
The vehicle was removed from the National Crime Information Center and the plates were entered as stolen. Detective Adam Colon was assigned as lead detective on this case and was assisted by Detective Michael Miranda, Detective Vito Gigante, and Detective John Quinones.
The investigation revealed that the theft involved two males and one female, but police still didn't have them in custody. One of the males was identified as a 15-year-old, police said.
Surprisingly, police then spotted the suspects in Hoboken on Thursday.
Det. Sergeant Josue Velez went out on patrol in an unmarked car as Detective Adam Colon worked on his reports for this investigation. While in the area of 301 Washington St. at about 9:08 p.m., D/Sgt. Velez observed "a male individual accompanied by a female matching two of the actors wanted in the theft," according to police.
Both were arrested and charged in the theft. The male was identified as the teen, police said. Police generally do not release names of suspect under 18.
The female was identified as Alicia Mallard, 18, from Newark.
The 15-year-old boy was charged with Juvenile Delinquency Aggravated Assault, Possession of Weapon for Unlawful Purpose, Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, Burglary, Theft, Eluding, and Conspiracy to Commit Theft. He was brought to the Essex County Juvenile Center.
Mallard was charged with Aggravated Assault, Possession of Weapon for Unlawful Purpose, Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, Burglary, Theft, Eluding, and Conspiracy to Commit Theft. Her charges were placed on a warrant and she was brought to the Hudson County Correctional Facility.
Defendants are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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