Men Broke Into Secaucus Home, Chased By Police Onto Turnpike

SECAUCUS, NJ — Last Wednesday, May 29 a home was broken into on Moller Street in Secaucus, Secaucus police report. The suspects, pictured above, fled in a car stolen out of Paterson and led Secaucus police on a car chase onto the New Jersey Turnpike.

At 1:42 p.m. on Wednesday, May 29 Secaucus police said they received a 911 call from a frantic resident of the 200 block of Moller Street. The resident reported two men were in the process of breaking into her home. The burglars jumped into their getaway vehicle, which was later determined to be stolen out of Paterson, and fled south on County Avenue toward the New Jersey Turnpike.

Police say the men randomly targeted the home for the burglary, and they did not steal anything from the residence. The resident was not injured.

Secaucus Police Lieutenant Martin Moreda was monitoring the radio broadcast of the burglary in progress and observed the stolen car fleeing toward 15X of the New Jersey Turnpike. Lieutenant Moreda attempted to stop the vehicle, however it increased its speed and refused to stop.

Secaucus police pursued the car onto the New Jersey Turnpike eastern spur to 495 East and onto the 30th Street ramp in North Bergen. There, the fleeing vehicle encountered gridlocked traffic.

During the car chase, police said they saw evidence being discarded from the vehicle, which was later recovered. The men exited the vehicle and fled on foot toward 28th Street in North Bergen.

Jeffery O. Sanders, 51, of Montclair was apprehended on 28th Street in North Bergen. The other occupant, identified as Dwayne A. Thorpe, 50, of Garfield continued to flee on 28th Street through backyards.

With help from State Police, North Bergen and Union City police and the Hudson County Sheriff’s office a perimeter was established around the surrounding blocks. Thorpe tried to run into an apartment building on the 2600 block of Newkirk Avenue in North Bergen in an attempt to evade capture. Police took him into custody on the roof of that residence.

Sanders and Thorpe were each charged with burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, resisting arrest and possession of burglars' tools, among other charges.

Anyone with video of the incident or with any additional information is asked to contact the Secaucus Police Department Detective Division at (201) 330-2052 or detectivedivision@secaucus.net. All calls can be kept confidential.