Burglar Flees Into Cedar Grove Home, Hides Under Futon: Police

CEDAR GROVE, NJ — Cedar Grove police – with the assistance of their peers in Verona and Little Falls – arrested an alleged burglar from Kearny and a woman from New York on Monday after finding them outside a local home near a car stolen out of Nutley, authorities said.

According to the Cedar Grove Police Department, the incident began around 1 p.m. when officers received a call from an insurance company that tracked a stolen vehicle to the 100-block of Ridge Road.

Cedar Grove officers arrived on the scene and began to search for the car, which was reported stolen out of Nutley on Sunday. The officers soon found a vehicle parked in the driveway of a nearby Ridge Road home, occupied by a woman later identified as Christine Garabato, 22, of Brooklyn, New York.

Police also allegedly found Andy Rivera, 43, of Kearny, on the scene loading boxes into the vehicle’s trunk, authorities said.

When an officer approached Rivera to ask what he was doing, Rivera briefly tried to explain, but then took off running on foot into the home’s backyard. He then ran into the home, locking the back door behind him, Cedar Grove police said.

When one of the officers ran to the opposite side of the house he found Rivera attempting to climb out of a first-floor window. Rivera then slipped back into the house, authorities said.

Officers from Verona and Little Falls arrived to assist and set up a perimeter around the residence. Police then forced their way inside, where they found Rivera hiding under a futon, authorities said.

Police said that officers took Rivera into custody “without further incident,” although he suffered a “medical episode” while being processed and was taken to a nearby hospital pending transfer to the Essex County Correctional Facility.

Authorities charged Rivera with burglary.

Police also arrested Garabato, who was wanted by the Essex County Sheriff’s Office and turned over to their custody after being charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.

Keep updated with local public safety alerts at the Patch Verona-Cedar Grove Facebook page. Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Photo: Shutterstock