Two Passaic males — one a juvenile and one an adult — allegedly stole a car then went for a not-so-wise joyride into Lyndhurst before getting nabbed by police there, Det. Lt. Vincent Auteri, the Lyndhurst Police Department’s public-information officer told The Observer.
According to Auteri:
Sometime this week, Lyndhurst detectives had obtained information a stolen vehicle was operating in town. The vehicle had been stolen out of Clifton on Jan. 22 and had also been seen at the location of a stolen vehicle in Cedar Grove.
Dets. Chris Cuneo, Nick Abruscato and Matt Giunta surveyed the reported area for the stolen vehicle Meanwhile, Officer Michael D’Alesandro, who had just completed his patrol tour, advised communications he had located the vehicle traveling on Ridge Road.
Dets. Cuneo and Abruscato then came upon the stolen vehicle on Second Avenue. Once they activated emergency lights on their police vehicle, the stolen vehicle stopped and it appeared the driver was going to attempt a U-turn.
However, the suspects chose instead to abandon the vehicle and flee on foot after learning Det. Giunta had approached from the opposite direction. Det. Abruscato gave chase and tracked down Santo Felix Cruz, 19.
Det. Cuneo proceeded to pursue the 17-year old juvenile suspect on foot and he was later joined by Officer Elizabeth Clifford.
Cuneo and Clifford ultimately tracked down the juvenile and placed him under arrest. A search of the stolen car revealed evidence of burglary tools. Both suspects were charged with receiving stolen property, resisting arrest by flight and possession of burglary tools.
Cruz was released on his own recognizance whilst the juvenile was released into the custody of a family member.
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