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Jason N. Amador, 18, of Newark; Rahiem A. Maldonado, 23, of Newark; Altamir L. Thornton, 22, of Newark; and a 17-year-old from Woodbridge were identified as the individuals behind a burglary spree that hit homes in Englewood, Cresskill, Paramus, and Tenafly during the early morning hours of Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said.
Two of the suspects — Maldonado and Thornton — were already behind bars: The pair had been arrested in connection with a high-profile armed robbery that occurred in Englewood during Summer 2024. They were also linked to a violent home invasion and carjacking in Union Township in September 2024, authorities said.
In each burglary on Nov. 26, residents were home when the break-ins occurred — and in some incidents, they were awakened by the sounds of intruders or the sudden activation of their security alarms, police said. At least one suspect was seen holding a crowbar on surveillance video, and the group was observed arriving and fleeing in a dark-colored SUV, authorities said.
The crew attempted to enter homes through multiple windows, sometimes succeeding, Musella said. Police said that after each break-in, the suspects fled the area quickly before officers could arrive.
Below is the timeline of events, according to Musella:
- 12:50 a.m. – Englewood: Burglary in progress on Chestnut Street. Resident heard intruders and an alarm. Suspects fled in a dark-colored vehicle.
- 1:13 a.m. – Cresskill: Burglary attempt on Devonshire Road. Surveillance showed three suspects with a crowbar removing a window screen. A dark SUV fled the scene.
- 2:11 a.m. – Paramus: Attempted burglary on Marion Lane. Resident heard noise and saw three individuals fleeing. Video confirmed suspects with crowbar in backyard.
- 2:45 a.m. – Tenafly: Burglary on Knoll Road. Resident awoke to an alarm. Video showed suspects entering rear yard and trying multiple windows. They fled.
- 3:43 a.m. – Englewood (2nd incident): Break-in at a second Chestnut Street home. Three suspects entered through a window and fled after waking residents.
“The residents reported being awakened by the sounds of three intruders who all quickly fled the scene,” Musella said of the second break-in that morning on Chestnut Street in Englewood at 3:43 a.m.
Following a months-long investigation led by the Bergen County Crime Reduction Task Force, authorities connected all four individuals to four residential burglaries and one attempted burglary.
During a court-authorized search of Thornton’s residence following his arrest, detectives recovered suspected stolen items later connected to the Bergen County burglaries, Musella said.
Amador and the juvenile were arrested on April 25, 2025, in Newark and Woodbridge, respectively. All four suspects have been charged with:
- First-degree use of a 17-year-old to commit a criminal offense
- Four counts of second-degree residential burglary
- Second-degree attempted burglary
- Third-degree theft by unlawful taking
Amador was remanded to the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack. The juvenile was taken to the Bergen County Juvenile Detention Center. Maldonado and Thornton remain incarcerated pending trial.
"Through intelligence-driven policing strategies and strong partnerships among the various agencies involved, the Crime Reduction Task Force remains committed to identifying and dismantling patterns of criminal activity that most affect the residents and municipalities of Bergen County," Deputy Chief of Detectives Jeff Angermeyer said.
Musella noted the arrests were the result of joint efforts among local departments in Cresskill, Englewood, Paramus, Tenafly, and assistance from agencies in Newark, Wall Township, Woodbridge, and the Port Authority Police.
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