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Police received a 9-1-1 call reporting a burglary in progress at a hoem on Ratzer Road around 3:50 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29, Wayne Police Capt. Dan Daly said. The caller said that two men were in his garage and one was in his backyard. He then said that the men fled and were in a black sedan on Kievit Road.
The caller also told police that the suspect vehicle was a Honda. While responding officers found two black sedans on Kievit Road, it became clear that a Mercedes Benz driving away slowly was also a car they needed to stop.
Authorities stopped the Mercedes and the Honda and detained all occupants.
That's when police would soon learn that the Ratzer Road resident never made a call to police and that a resident of the home on Kievit Road, where the suspect vehicles were spotted, was expecting the delivery of a computer at any time.
"There have been numerous recent thefts of delivered electronics in Wayne and throughout the state," Daly said.
"The Honda contained ski masks and delivery driver vests which are common tools used in these thefts. It has also become common for competing theft crews to circle the targeted location and in some cases have engaged in fighting over the delivered package."
Which, according to Daly, is exactly what was happening.
As it turned out, the 9-1-1 call was placed from a cell phone belonging to the Mercedes Benz driver, Daly said.
"It then became clear that the cars contained competing package theft crews and the false 911 call was made to cause the stop of the Honda in order to get the competition out of the way for the Mercedes crew," police said.
Those arrested include:
- Rafael Evangelista Toribo, 29 of West New York. He was charged with Misuse of 911, Conspiracy, and Providing False Reports to Law Enforcement.
- Jose Del Rosario-Camacho, 30 of Jersey City. He was charged with Misuse of 911, Conspiracy, and Providing False Reports to Law Enforcement. He also provided a false name during processing and was found to be wanted out of Florida. He was additionally charged with Hindering Apprehension and as a Fugitive from Justice.
- Railin Moreno Hernandez, 29 of Irvington. He was charged with Possession of Burglary Tools and Conspiracy. He was also found to be previously charged in Wayne in a package theft of similar circumstances.
- Michael Aquino, 30 of Union City. He was charged with Possession of Burglary Tools and Conspiracy.
- Emaniel Luo-Felix, 27 of East Orange. He was charged with Possession of Burglary Tools and Conspiracy.
All were charged on warrants and transferred to the Passaic County Jail pending a detention hearing.
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