94°
An accomplice was still being sought tonight.
Ibn Jabbar Lee, 35, first broke into a Thornton Road home near the Tenafly and Englewood Cliffs borders around 12:40 p.m., Englewood Detective Capt. Timothy Torell told CLIFFVIEW PILOT tonight.
A housekeeper who was home alone said she heard the doorbell ring but didn’t answer it — then saw the 6-foot-5-inch, 250-pound Lee coming through a set of outside doors.
Lee is on federal probation for a 2002 conviction of conspiracy to commit murder for hire, records show.
After spotting the housekeeper this afternoon, he “turned and ran from the area without taking anything,” Torell said.
“Unfortunately, instead of calling the police right away, she called the homeowner — who then notified our dispatch,” the captain said.
By that time, Lee went to a nearby Johnson Avenue home, rang the doorbell and then pushed in the homeowner when she opened the door, Torell said.
The woman told police he assaulted her — saying that he had a gun — while leading her throughout the house, stuffing cash, jewelry and other valuables in bags.
He then ordered her into a room and instructed her to wait before coming out.
“Thankfully, the woman called us right away and units were dispatched immediately,” Torell said.
Soon after, Englewood Police Officer Rhakeem Stennett spotted Lee darting across Booth Avenue and through several backyards, still carrying the bags of loot, he said.
Police from Tenafly, Englewood Cliffs and Englewood flooded the area and boxed Lee in, Torell said.
Suddenly, Englewood Officer Matthew Zeuner spotted him and took off after him.
Zeunder tackled him, as other officers moved in — among them, Englewood Detective Adolfo Gutierrez, Englewood Cliffs Sgt. Collin Ford & Officer Daniel O’Shea and Englewood Cliffs Police Chief Michael Cioffi.
All of the stolen proceeds home were recovered, Torell said.
“This was an excellent job by all of the Officers involved and a classic example of how well the different Police Departments throughout Bergen County work with each other on a daily basis,” he said.
The victim’s injuries were relatively minor, Torell said.
The captain noted that police believe Lee had at least one accomplice in a waiting car who fled.
The investigation was continuing.
Lee, meanwhile, was being chaged with kidnapping, armed robbery, armed burglary, burglary, aggravated assault and possession of burglary tools.
Bail was set at $1 million for Lee, who was being transferred tonight to the Bergen County Jail.
IN OTHER NEWS (YOU READ IT HERE FIRST): Leonia, Englewood police nab couple in 7-Eleven holdup
MUGSHOT: Courtesy of ENGLEWOOD PD
Click here to follow Daily Voice Fort Lee and receive free news updates.
