An illegally parked car at the Closter Plaza shopping center led to the arrests of three Brooklyn men who police said had nearly 50 stolen credit and gift cards.
Officer Daniel Hargrave was approaching the car when the trio emerged from a Closter Plaza liquor store, Detective Sgt. Vincent Aiello said.
Although they clearly appeared about to get into the car, the men told Hargrave and backup officers who quickly arrived that it wasn’t their vehicle, Aiello said.
They also “refused to produce identification and were extremely uncooperative,” he said.
Smelling pot, the officers searched the suspects and found a fake ID, a stolen credit card and marijuana, Aiello said.
They then reviewed surveillance video that the sergeant said showed the trio pulling up and getting out of the car, which was also searched.
Police found 35 stolen gift cards, 14 stolen credit cards, more marijuana and some drug paraphernalia, he said.
They arrested the driver, Brandy Russell, the front-seat passenger, Gregory O’Neal, both 23, and the rear-seat passenger, 24-year-old Ronnie Mizell.
All were charged with possession of stolen or fraudulent credit cards, trafficking in personal identifying information, possession of bogus ID and possession of drugs and paraphernalia.
Mizell was released on a summons.
Both Russell and O’Neal were sent to the Bergen County Jail – and ordered freed by a judge hours later pending further court action under New Jersey’s 2017 bail reform law.
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