Stolen Motorcycle Leads Hoboken Police To Newark 'Chop Shop'

HOBOKEN, NJ — A Hoboken police investigation into a stolen motorcycle over the summer ultimately led detectives to a "chop shop" in a Newark garage, police said this month.

Police said that on July 8, someone reported a stolen motorcycle from Hoboken after 11 p.m. near Third and River streets.

Detective Michael Miranda responded and began investigating. He was able to track the van that was used to steal the motorcycle back to a Newark address.

Over the next two months, Miranda worked with Newark Police Detective Javier Figueroa, Essex County Sheriff Officer Kevin Macken, and the New Jersey State Police Auto theft task force to identify the potential whereabouts of the motorcycle.

The information obtained led to a search of a residence and garage occupied by Jose Ventura-Perez, 34, of Newark, and Carmen Martinez, 31, of Newark.

As a result of the search warrant, the police "recovered multiple reported stolen vehicles and evidence which showed that the location was being used as a facility to sell stolen motor vehicle parts," police said.

Jose Ventura-Perez was charged with burglary and theft for stealing the motorcycle on July 8, police said.

He was additionally charged along with Carmen Martinez with the following:

• Eight counts of receiving stolen property (stolen motorcycles from New York, Pennsylvania, amd New Jersey, including Hoboken),
• Recovering a stolen jet ski (from Ridgefield Park),
• Recovering a stolen vehicle (Franklin Township),
• Three counts of removal or alteration of vehicle identification numbers, and
• One count of operation of a facility of stolen parts.

In addition to recovering stolen items, over $14,000 was recovered which was believed to be proceeds of the crime, police said.

The arrest process took place in Newark, and both were transported to the Essex County Correctional Facility. They were charged on Sept. 10 with the multiple charges, and Ventura-Perez was charged for the Hoboken case on Sept. 16.

Everyone is innocent until proven guilty in the court of law.

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