BLOOMFIELD, NJ — On Dec. 26 at approximately 10 a.m., a Bloomfield police officer responded to Stop & Shop on Franklin Street on report of a motor vehicle theft. Upon arrival, the officer was flagged down by a witness who observed a male suspect break the glass window on the rear passenger door of a black Infiniti. After the suspect broke the glass, he entered the vehicle and fled the scene, traveling westbound on Watsessing Avenue. The witness also observed a red, four-door Lexus following the Infiniti out of the parking lot.
The vehicle’s operator had left the Infiniti running with his dog inside, but had locked the door and taken the key fob with him. When he exited the store, he was met by the officer and told what had happened. He immediately told police that his white Maltese, named Baby, had been in the vehicle. The car was immediately entered in the National Crime Information Center database as stolen and surrounding agencies were alerted.
On Dec. 27, a Kenilworth police detective observed the black Infiniti in their jurisdiction and witnessed its operators attempting to steal or break into other vehicles. The officer attempted to stop them and the driver of the black Infiniti intentionally struck the officer’s unmarked police vehicle in an attempt to escape. While fleeing, the Infiniti was crashed at an intersection in Hillside and three suspects were taken into custody by Hillside police.
Upon further investigation by Bloomfield, Hillside and Kenilworth police departments, Baby was located and safely returned to the owner.
“When neighboring police departments work together, we are able to solve more cases quicker, bringing closure to victims and keeping our neighborhoods safe,” Bloomfield Public Safety Director Samuel DeMaio said. “I would like to thank Hillside Police Department and Kenilworth Police Department for their collaborative efforts which led to the apprehension of three suspects and the safe return of the victim’s dog.”
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