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Responding to a theft call at the Nordstrom Rack at the Willowbrook Mall, Sgt. James Clark and Officers Adrian Sulejmani and Bruce Conklin stopped the crew’s 1999 Oldsmobile, Detective Capt. Laurence Martin said.
Goods with their senor security tags still attached were piled on the seats and floorboards, Martin said.
The driver, 37-year-old Fertima Neally of Neptune City, had a suspended driver’s license and a hand-held prying/cutting tool used to remove sensors from clothing, the captain said.
Passenger Tyshon Hawkins, 25, of Asbury Park, had a large magnet used to circumvent security sensors, along with countless plastic bags from H&M, Marshalls and Home Goods, he said. Hawkins also was wanted on two warrants out of the city where he lives. Martin said
Passenger Jason St. Louis, 18, also of Neptune, had an iPhone fan in his pocket that was stolen from Nordstrom Rack. He gave police bogus information at first, Martin said, but they quickly identified him and discovered he was wanted on a warrant out of Marlboro.
Passenger Tyietha Burnett, 42, of Watchung, meanwhile, was wanted on a warrant there, he said.
Crew members “travel together, jointly stealing the items from stores in South Jersey,” Martin said. “They then come to North Jersey in attempt to return the items for store credit.
“They then utilize the gift cards to make legitimate purchases for themselves or sell the gift cards, or they sell the items they are unable to return,” the captain said.
All four were sent to the Passaic County Jail pending detention hearings on charges that include receiving stolen property, among other counts.
Meanwhile, Detective Scott Agnes was assisting with coordinating the multiple law enforcement agencies to help return the stolen merchandise to their original stores.
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