Crime & Safety
Update On School Bus Theft In Livingston: Police Release Suspect's Name
After a Livingston school bus was stolen last Tuesday, police have released a suspect's name. They still don't have a motive.
LIVINGSTON, NJ — The Livingston police have released the name of a suspect in the theft of a Livingston school bus a week ago, but said they still don't know the motive for the crime.
Police Chief Gary Marshuetz said in a release late on Monday that the Livingston Board of Education bus was reported stolen from the rear of the Livingston Community Center on Hillside Avenue the morning of Tuesday, Jan. 17.
Marshuetz said that the suspect had been linked to a burglary on Hillside Avenue on Jan. 15.
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"Items and documents found at the scene of the burglary identified the suspect from the burglary as Bader Fahad Alzahranni, a 22-year-old Saudi Arabian national," Marshuetz wrote.
Officials found out last Wednesday that the suspect was probably in northeast Pennsylvania, and several agencies "flooded the area" to find him, Marshuetz said.
Find out what's happening in Livingstonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
He was taken into custody without incident at approximately 5:05 a.m. Thursday, Marshuetz said.
The suspect was charged with "multiple state charges," Marshuetz said, including burglary, motor vehicle theft, theft of moveable property, criminal damage and criminal trespassing.
Marshuetz said that how the man arrived in Livingston, and possible motivations "are still part of the ongoing investigation by state and federal agencies."
He thanked county, state, and federal law enforcement partners, as well as the Livingston police, for "bringing this matter to a swift and safe conclusion."
The History
Local residents were made aware of the missing bus Wednesday night and Thursday morning, when school and local officials in North Jersey towns from Nutley to North Caldwell warned parents to be mindful of which bus their kids got on.
A release from officials last week said the FBI was involved due to "concerning leads."
Patch will update this story when more information is obtained.
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