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Detectives Brian Cobb and Brian Gallina began following their white Honda Accord with New York plates after seeing it being driven erratically near West Passaic Street and Paramus Road, Capt. James DePreta said.
"At times, they entered and then ran from banks into the waiting vehicle," he said on Friday, May 12.
The suspects tore up what appeared to be a check and tossed it out the window as the detectives pulled them over, the captain said. Also found was a phony Pennsylvania driver's license, he said.
A passenger -- identified as Felix Carvajal, 24, of Newark -- was initially arrested for carrying bogus government documents, he said.
The driver -- James Martinez, 24, of New York -- was wanted on a warrant and also was taken into custody, DePreta noted.
The third man -- Muhammad Addison, 27, also of New York -- was released along with Carvajal.
Detectives obtained a search warrant for the vehicle and found "an array of fraudulent identifications, stolen checks, and fraudulent checks," leading to charges against all three of forgery, ID theft and credit card crime, among other counts.
Martinez remained held in the Bergen County Jail on Friday.
Addison was held briefly in the jail before being released.
Carvajal never made it there. He was released on a summons under New Jersey's bail reform law.
"Detectives have identified 19 victims to date and are in the process of notifying them all, as well as attempting to recover additional evidence," DePreta said.
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