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Route 4 Police Pursuit Led By Masked Car Thieves Ends In Crash With Patrol Car: Authorities

Three juveniles are facing charges after leading a police pursuit across multiple Bergen County towns, ending in a collision involving a police car, authorities said.

Paramus police

Paramus police

Photo Credit: Boyd A. Loving

Trouble began around 3:50 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 6 in Paramus, when officers were called to a Concord Drive home on reports of people wearing ski masks and dark clothing trying to steal a BMW from the driveway, Paramus Police Chief Robert Guidetti said.

The suspects were captured on security cameras trying to enter the home.

Officer Slavko Bajovic arrived on the scene and saw a 2014 Hyundai Elantra, occupied by two suspects matching the given description, fleeing the area. A registration check revealed the vehicle was stolen. 

Bajovic tried to stop the vehicle, but it fled, leading police on a chase. The pursuit took officers southbound on Spring Valley Road to Route 4 west, then onto Route 208 north.

 The fleeing vehicle tried to exit Route 208 at Harristown Road in Fair Lawn, where the driver lost control and struck a marked Glen Rock patrol vehicle.

Officer Bajovic, assisted by Officer Hugo Rodriguez, apprehended both occupants of the suspect vehicle without further incident. The passenger was taken to New Bridge Medical Center for minor injuries, and the Glen Rock officer was also taken to the hospital for minor injuries.

Back at the attempted burglary scene, Officer Don Liu responded to a report of a suspicious person on a neighbor’s front porch. Liu immediately identified the individual as one of the suspects involved in the attempted burglary and placed him under arrest.

All three suspects were identified as juveniles: Two from Newark and the third from South Amboy, Guidetti said.

All received delinquency complaints requiring them to appear before a judge in the Family Part of Superior Court in Hackensack on the charges filed.

Two juveniles were charged with joyriding and criminal attempt to commit burglary, Guidetti said. The third juvenile, the driver of the vehicle, was charged with eluding, possession of a stolen vehicle, and conspiracy to commit burglary.

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