38°
The robbers first headed north through Teaneck, then into Englewood and Tenafly, following the holdup late Saturday, April 2, authorities said Monday.
The fleeing bandits eventually made their way down Route 95 to westbound Route 3, up northbound Route 21 to eastbound Route 80 and then all the way from there to the George Washington Bridge before they got away, authorities said.
The 30-year-old victim said the "completely masked" robbers suddenly pulled up and rushed him outside a Union Place home, Ridgefield Park Police Chief Joseph Rella said.
One of them brandished a handgun, the shocked and stunned victim told police. He immediately complied, handing over the watch, jewelry and huge amount of cash, Rella said.
"Either these two guys were very lucky or they knew who they were dealing with," a ranking officer in another town said.
An Englewood officer who heard the Statewide Police Emergency Network (SPEN) alert spotted the robbers' grey getaway Honda sedan a short time later in the area of West Palisade Avenue and Van Brunt Street, Englewood Police Capt. Fred Pulice said.
The officer hit his lights and sirens, but "the driver kept going at a normal rate of speed, just not stopping," Pulice said.
The driver made his way onto Tenafly Road into Tenafly, then back into Englewood, the captain said.
"He started to go the wrong way on Engle Street, so we immediately broke it off," Pulice said.
A Leonia police officer spotted the sedan moments later on Broad Avenue, then pursued it onto southbound Route 95, Leonia Police Chief Scott Tamagny said.
Speeds reportedly reached 80 mph.
Rutherford police reportedly picked up the pursuit as the sedan headed west on Route 3 before exiting onto northbound Route 21.
A little while later, New Jersey State Police were pursuing the sedan east on Route 80 at reported speeds of up to 95 miles an hour. Port Authority police took over when they reached the George Washington Bridge.
The sedan was headed south on the Major Deegan Expressway -- possibly toward the Bruckner Expressway or Triborough Bridge -- before vanishing from view, the PAPD said.
It had been roughly 40 minutes since the Ridgefield Park holdup at that point. Port Authority police notified the NYPD.
(NOTE: An earlier version of this story incorrectly referred to $65,000 in cash. The $65,000 figure is the combined value of the Rolex and the necklace, which Ridgefield Park police later confirmed on Monday, April 4.)
Click here to follow Daily Voice Bergenfield and receive free news updates.
