A Few Clouds 23°
Police & Fire
GOTCHA (x2)! Paramus Officer Chases Down Separate Suspects From Same Mall Incident GOTCHA (x2)! Paramus Officer Chases Down Separate Suspects From Same Mall Incident
Gotcha (x2)! Paramus Officer Chases Down Separate Suspects From Same Mall Incident A Paramus police officer chased down two separate suspects who fled the Bergen Towne Center, authorities said. Two men and a woman all bolted from the Nordstrom Rack, then ran in different directions, after stealing Burberry and Givenchy apparel and a Reaction wristwatch worth nearly $667 combined, Police Chief Robert Guidetti said. Officer Kevin Grady, who was among the responders, ran after Yerbinson Zapata-Zus as he fled east on Route 4 near Forest Avenue, the chief said. Zapata-Zus resisted after Grady grabbed him, Guidetti said, but he was quickly subdued. Grady was driving him back …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Fleeing Burglar Rescued From Pond In East Brunswick: Police Fleeing Burglar Rescued From Pond In East Brunswick: Police
Fleeing Burglar Rescued From Pond In East Brunswick: Police A fleeing burglary suspect jumped into a pond during a police chase and nearly drowned, authorities said. Police rescued and then arrested the suspect who was charged with breaking into four vehicles, East Brunswick police said. Altogether, three suspects were arrested for breaking into vehicles. On Wednesday, Feb. 21, at approximately 1:15 p.m., the East Brunswick Police Department was notified of suspects breaking into vehicles at the Neilson Plaza Parking Deck, 7 Tower Center Boulevard.  One of the suspects surrendered while another fled on foot northbound on Tower Center Boulevar…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
Disgruntled Ex-Employee Refuses To Leave Job, Assaults Police: Bayonne PD Disgruntled Ex-Employee Refuses To Leave Job, Assaults Police: Bayonne PD
Disgruntled Ex-Employee Refuses To Leave Job, Assaults Police: Bayonne PD Well that's one way to make an exit. A 22-year-old Jersey City woman was arrested for assaulting a police officer on Sunday, Feb. 19, after she refused to leave the premises of her former job in Bayonne, authorities said. At 2:57 p.m., officers were called to an area business at 33rd Street and Broadway and saw Tianna Johnson screaming at her former employer, Bayonne police said. Officers approached Johnson and escorted her away from her now ex-boss, telling her to leave and that she was not permitted there anymore, police said. While they were leaving, Johnson knocked over items that were…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
McDonald's Melee: Bergen County Man Arrested In Hoboken Stabbing McDonald's Melee: Bergen County Man Arrested In Hoboken Stabbing
McDonald's Melee: Bergen County Man Arrested In Hoboken Stabbing A Bergen County man was arrested in a Hoboken stabbing Friday, Feb. 9, police said. Officers were called to the Washington Street McDonald's for a street fight involving 10 people, which resulted in a stabbing around 6:30 p.m., Hoboken police said. An on-scene investigation found Lodi's Kasaun Patterson, 42, stabbed another man during the fight, police said. Patterson was seen near the scene and was arrested. He attempted to resist arrest by stiffening his body, and a search incident turned up a folding knife in his jacket pocket, local police said. Patterson was taken to the Hob…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Wanted Truck Rams Police Vehicle In 50-Mile Turnpike Pursuit That Ended In Crash: Cops Wanted Truck Rams Police Vehicle In 50-Mile Turnpike Pursuit That Ended In Crash: Cops
Wanted Truck Rams Police Vehicle In 50-Mile Turnpike Pursuit That Ended In Crash: Cops A fugitive from Delaware took New Jersey State Police on a wild chase from Mount Holly more than 50 miles to Elizabeth before crashing his truck, authorities said. On Thursday, Feb. 8, at approximately 12:20 p.m., troopers spotted a white Penske trunk going north on the New Jersey Turnpike in the area of milepost 35 in Mount Laurel Township, according to State Police Detective I Jeffrey Lebron. ALSO SEE: New Footage Shows Driver Flipping Box Truck After 50-Mile NJ Turnpike Pursuit The vehicle, being operated by 21-year-old Joel Espinal, of New York, NY, had been wanted by Delaware Sta…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
Instacart Driver Leads Maywood Police To Hackensack Couple Trying To Steal Car: Authorities Instacart Driver Leads Maywood Police To Hackensack Couple Trying To Steal Car: Authorities
Instacart Driver Leads Maywood Police To Hackensack Couple Trying To Steal Car: Authorities Thanks to a conscientious Instacart driver, Maywood police caught an 18-year-old Hackensack man and a 17-year-old female companion trying to steal a vehicle, authorities said. The delivery driver directed police to the rear parking lot of a Hammell Place apartment complex shortly after 8 p.m. last Wednesday, Jan. 31, Maywood Detective Sgt. William Phayre said. Sgt. Gregory Mulawka and Officer Alana Luna were already in the area investigating another reported motor vehicle burglary when the call came in from Maybrook Drive, the sergeant said. Phayre headed to Hammell Place and tog…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Illegal Border Crosser Seized By ICE After Punching Local NJ Officer In Face Illegal Border Crosser Seized By ICE After Punching Local NJ Officer In Face
Illegal Border Crosser Seized By ICE After Punching Local NJ Officer In Face A Guatemalan national who authorities said crossed the U.S. border illegally was seized by federal agents after he punched a Closter police officer in the face. Emiliano Cotzalo-Santiago, 24, was living in Palisades Park and working on a construction site in Closter when he began walking down the middle of Cedar Lane, obstructing traffic, Police Capt. Vincent Aiello said. This prompted calls to police. Cotzal-Santiago “attacked the first officer that he came in contact with by punching him in the face,” the captain said. A second officer sustained cuts on his hand as they attempted to han…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
TEAMWORK: Lyndhurst Detectives, Off-Duty And Uniformed Officers Nab Teen Car Thieves TEAMWORK: Lyndhurst Detectives, Off-Duty And Uniformed Officers Nab Teen Car Thieves
Teamwork: Lyndhurst Detectives, Off-Duty And Uniformed Officers Nab Teen Car Thieves Lyndhurst police boxed in a pair of Passaic teens and quickly took both into custody as they tried to pass through town in an SUV stolen out of Clifton, authorities said. Officer Michael D’Alesandro, who'd just finished his shift, spotted the Acura MDX on Ridge Road, Detective Lt. Vincent Auteri said. Detectives Chris Cuneo and Nick Abruscato pulled up on the teens on Second Avenue, the lieutenant said. As soon as the lights on their police cruiser were activated, the pair bailed out and tried to run, he said. Coming from the other direction was Detective Matt Giunta, Auteri said. Abrusc…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Elizabeth Man Convicted Of Multiple Weapons Offenses: Prosecutors Elizabeth Man Convicted Of Multiple Weapons Offenses: Prosecutors
Elizabeth Man Convicted Of Multiple Weapons Offenses: Prosecutors A 38-year-old Elizabeth man was convicted of possessing a metal baton and a loaded handgun on Thursday, Jan. 18, authorities said. In May 2022, Yasin Villafana was arrested in Elizabeth on an outstanding warrant, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel, Elizabeth Police Chief Giacomo Sacca, and Elizabeth Police Chief Earl Graves said. Upon his arrest, Villafana was found to be in possession of the weapons, as well as a large capacity magazine, authorities said. It took a jury two hours to convict Villafana of unlawful possession of a weapon possession of a large capacity ma…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Wood-Ridge Detectives Charge Habitual Hackensack Offender, 19, In Home Burglary Vehicle Theft Wood-Ridge Detectives Charge Habitual Hackensack Offender, 19, In Home Burglary Vehicle Theft
Wood-Ridge Detectives Charge Habitual Hackensack Offender, 19, In Home Burglary Vehicle Theft A 19-year-old habitual offender from Hackensack who's been arrested no fewer than four times in just the past year was back in the Bergen County Jail, although it wasn't certain for how long. Cosmo Pena was released from the Essex County Jail on Thursday, Jan. 4, to the custody of Wood-Ridge police, who'd tied him to the theft of a resident's Mercedes during a home burglary last summer. Pena -- who has racked up recent arrests for offenses including theft, conspiracy, resisting arrest and leading a police chase  -- had been held in Essex County the past few weeks. Wood-Ridge detective…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Car Thieves Climb Fence, Captured After Linden Pursuit: Cops Car Thieves Climb Fence, Captured After Linden Pursuit: Cops
Car Thieves Climb Fence, Captured After Linden Pursuit: Cops Two suspects were arrested in Linden while fleeing police on foot after crashing a stolen vehicle, authorities said. Marc Pierre, 22, of Maplewood is charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle, eluding, trespassing and resisting arrest.  A 17-year-old male juvenile from Newark also was taken into custody. Shortly before 7 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 3, Linden police responded to the Aviation Plaza parking lot after receiving multiple calls about a red Porsche driving recklessly in the Aviation Plaza parking lot. Officers found the vehicle, which was reported stolen out of New Yo…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
Fugitive Wanted For Trying To Kill Twin In MD Captured Near NJ/NY Border After 50-Mile Pursuit Fugitive Wanted For Trying To Kill Twin In MD Captured Near NJ/NY Border After 50-Mile Pursuit
Fugitive Wanted For Trying To Kill Twin In MD Captured Near NJ/NY Border After 50-Mile Pursuit A fugitive wanted for the attempted murder of his twin sister in Maryland was captured just short of the New York State line in New Jersey following a nearly hour-long pursuit, authorities confirmed on Monday, Dec. 4. Reese E. Wetzel, 23, of Ellicott City, MD stabbed his sister multiple times during an argument, then stole her car and headed north, police in Edison, NJ, said. Edison police said they received a Sirius XM alert involving the stolen white 2019 Subaru Outback at 8:13 p.m. Sunday. It pointed them toward Route 1 at Main Street, they said. Edison Officer Phil Smith spotted the s…

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by Jerry DeMarco