On July 8, 2024 at 2:42 A.M., Police Officer Paul Miller located an occupied stolen 2018 Jeep Wrangler within the Sunoco Gas Station, 249 Route 3 East. The vehicle was reported stolen from Jersey City on June 26, 2024.
When Secaucus Police Department marked units converged on the stolen Jeep, the driver, a 15-year –old male of Jersey City, intentionally rammed two occuiped Secaucus Police vehicles in an attempt to evade capture, whereby one police officer suffered a knee injury. At this time, the driver and two passengers fled the stolen vehicle on foot.
Sergeant Aniello Schaffer apprehended the front seat passenger, a 16-year-old male of Jersey City a short distance away. Police Officers Dwight Wise and William Smith pursued the 15-year-old driver on foot onto Route 3 and apprehended him.
The third suspect, the rear seat passenger in the stolen Jeep, entered a marked police vehicle and sped off. Secaucus Police Officers pursued the stolen Secaucus Police Unit through Jersey City, Kearny and Newark. Kearny Police also engaged in the pursuit of the Secaucus Police Unit. Although sight was lost of the stolen Secaucus Police Unit, it was tracked to Hillside where Hillside Police located it. The suspect remains at large.
“The 15-year-old male driver was just released from the electronic bracelet program last month from previous arrests involving violence and is back committing crimes,” Chief Dennis Miller said. “Although they are 15 and 16 year olds, these juveniles are criminals and their actions bolster my opinion that they will continue to commit crimes without fear of repercussion. It needs to be recognized that our Juvenile Justice System needs to be reformed to hold juveniles accountable or this recidivism will continue. We must acknowledge that not every juvenile can be rehabilitated and must give prosecutors the tools needed to prosecute these criminals or they will continue to plague our communities. I also want to thank all the agencies that assisted us including the Kearny and Hillside Police Departments, New Jersey State Police and the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office.”
The 15-year–old male driver was charged with Aggravated Assault [2C:12-1b(6)], Possession of a Weapon (vehicle) for an Unlawful Purpose [2C:39-4(d)], Receiving a Stolen Motor Vehicle [2C:20-10.2(a)], Criminal Mischief [2C:17-3a(2)], Resisting Arrest [2C:29-2a(2)] and Conspiracy to Commit Receiving a Stolen Vehicle [2C:5-2/2C:20-10.2(a)]. He was remanded the Morris County Youth Detention Facility.
The 16-year-old male passenger was charged with Receiving a Stolen Motor Vehicle [2C:20-10.2(a)], Resisting Arrest [2C:29-2a(2)] and Conspiracy to Commit Receiving a Stolen Vehicle [2C:5-2/2C:20-10.2(a)]. He was released to his parents, pending appearance in Family Court.
The investigation is ongoing and additional arrests and/or charges may follow. Anyone with additional information can contact the Secaucus Police Detective Division at (201) 330-2052 or detectivedivsion@secaucusnjpolice.gov. These charges are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.