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Anthony Mendoza, 42, has a drug-related history of porch pirating, usually from fellow borough residents, stretching back nearly five years, records show.
This time, a victim directed police to a bus stop near the corner of Paterson and Johnson avenues, East Rutherford Detective Capt. Jeff Yannacone said.
It was no surprise to any of them that Mendoza was their suspect.
Detective Kevin Felten nabbed him with packages addressed to two different residents on nearby Oak Street, the captain said.
Mendoza was also carrying a crack pipe, Yannacone said.
Assisting were Detective Lt. Robert Applegate, Detective Lt. Robert Kryzsiak and Detective Rob Myers, who’ve all encountered Mendoza at some point or other.
Mendoza was charged with two counts each of burglary and theft and one of possession of drug paraphernalia. He remained held in the Bergen County Jail on Monday, Dec. 18, following his arrest six days before.
The last time East Rutherford police caught Mendoza stealing packages, in August, he remained held in the county lockup for a month before a judge released him.
SEE: Serial Package Thief Caught In Act Again: East Rutherford PD
In another incident, Mendoza swiped packages from a Rutherford resident’s home, then fled out the window of an NJ Transit bus in Passaic before police captured him.
SEE: GOTCHA! Rutherford, New Milford Porch Pirate Flees Out Bus Window, Captured, Police Say
This came after police charged Mendoza with stealing packages from 10 different addresses in New Milford.
SEE: Porch Pirate Tied To More Than Dozen Thefts In New Milford, Bergenfield, Wyckoff
And so it goes.
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