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It began when Detective Lt. Michael Antista saw a 2015 Mercedes Benz E350 and a 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee go through a red light on First Street near Hackensack High School last Friday, Capt. Darrin DeWitt said.
A license plate check showed that the Mercedes had been reported stolen out of South Plainfield, he said.
Antista tried stopping the vehicles, but both sped off on Polifly Road at speeds of up to 70 miles an hour, DeWitt said.
The Mercedes got stuck in traffic near the Route 80 ramp, where Antista and Kley grabbed the two teens – one from Newark, the other from Kearny -- after a brief struggle, the captain said.
The Jeep – which had been stolen out of Hackensack -- struck a stopped vehicle, went onto the sidewalk and fled south on Polifly Road, he said, adding that it was later recovered in Kearny.
Delinquency complaints were signed against the teens on charges that include receiving stolen property, conspiracy and possession of marijuana, DeWitt said.
The 16-year-old Newark boy, who was driving, also received several traffic summonses and was sent to the Bergen County Juvenile Detention Center, he said. The Kearny boy was released to his mother.
City police, meanwhile, were searching for the third suspect. DeWitt asked anyone who might have witnessed any of the incident or has information that could help catch that person to contact CrimeStoppers of Bergenfield, Englewood, Teaneck, Hackensack, and Bogota, which offers cash rewards of up to $1,OOO.
Tips can be made anonymously at www.bergencrimestoppers.org or by calling 844-466-6789 (24/7).
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ALSO SEE: Hackensack firefighters on Wednesday rescued two workers who were stuck for hours in a crane above the Crow's Nest off Route 17.
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