Two Jersey City teens have been charged with burglarizing multiple vehicles inside a Secaucus development earlier this month.
The pair, a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old, broken into three vehicles and attempted to break into four others in the Riverside Court development, on the north end of Meadowlands Parkway, during the early morning hours Jan. 11, Secaucus Police Chief Dennis Miller said.
Police responded to Mallard Place at 5:30 a.m. and the first to arrive was nearly struck by a stolen Honda Pilot that was speeding away from the scene, Miller said.
The assailants got way, but the SUV, which had been reported stolen out of Paramus, was recovered in Montclair a week later. The vehicle was taken to the Secaucus Police Department and processed for evidence by detectives from the Secaucus Police Anti-Crime Unit.
Detectives recovered a bullet projectile that was fired into stolen vehicle, but could not determine the circumstances of the gunfire, Miller said.
After a several-weeks investigation, the Secaucus Police Anti-Crime Unit, under the supervision of Detective Sgt. Matthew Ford, arrested the 16-year-old boy Friday and 17-year-old boy Saturday.
“The unfortunate reality is these juveniles are not fearful of repercussions and will continue to commit crimes until they are held accountable,” Miller said. “These are not just juveniles out joy riding, they are stealing cars, committing other burglaries and thefts and victimizing our neighborhoods.
“The recovery of a bullet from the stolen vehicle is evidence that the stolen cars are involved in other violent crimes. These arrests are a testament to the hard work and determination of my detectives and I am proud to work alongside them. ”
Both were charged with three counts of burglary, four counts of criminal attempt to commit burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary and receiving a stolen vehicle.
The investigation uncovered evidence that linked the 17-year-old to vehicle that was stolen out of Secaucus in October 2023, Miller said, and he was additionally charged with a second count of receiving a stolen vehicle.
An Infiniti Q50 was stolen from the 200 block of Meadow Lane and was subsequently recovered Nov. 17, 2023 in Union.
Both juveniles were released to their parents and placed on home detention until their first appearance in court.