Bergenfield PD: Thief Posing As Delivery Driver Caught Red-Handed

A thief from the Bronx who bore an Amazon Flex insignia on both his shirt and his car was arrested by Bergenfield police when he showed up to collect an iPhone he ordered with a stolen credit card, authorities said.

The package was delivered to a vacant house, Bergenfield police said.
Photo Credit: *GoogleMaps / INSET: Bergenfield PD*

Jerry DeMarco

05/14/2021 5:47 p.m.

The victim, who lives in North Bergen, had notified police after discovering the phone's purchase and delivery address, Sgt. Kyle Witty said.

Detective Lt. William Duran and Officer John Hwang were waiting when Pedro Escobar, 35, showed up at the vacant West Englewood home, got out and collected the package, the sergeant said.

They quickly grabbed him with assistance from Officer Timothy Knapp and found him carrying several debit cards in other people’s names, Witty said.

Police charged Escobar with five counts of receiving stolen property and one each of theft and impersonation/ID theft. They released him pending a May 26 first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack.

Following in the footsteps of Uber, Door Dash and other DIY models, Amazon Flex allows customers to deliver packages for an estimated $18 to $25 an hour.

Police Chief Mustafa Rabboh urged citizens to “be vigilant of people posing as delivery drivers, utility employees and solicitors. Contact your local police department if you suspect any suspicious activity.”

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