2 Charged with February Attempted Theft of a Motor Vehicle
Two men from Essex County have been charged in connection with an attempted motor vehicle theft and conspiracy to commit theft that occurred in February 2026. The investigation was conducted by the Cranford Police Detective Bureau.
On February 5, 2026, at approximately 7:41 AM, Cranford officers were dispatched to a residence on Georgia Street after receiving a report of individuals attempting to steal a vehicle. Officers arrived quickly, but the suspects had already fled the scene in a white BMW. The victim informed the officers that when she exited her home, she saw a masked man sitting in the driver’s seat of her BMW. When she confronted him, the suspect ran to a waiting white BMW sedan, which then sped away from the area. It was later confirmed that the white BMW was stolen.
The Cranford Police Detective Bureau conducted a thorough follow-up investigation led by Detective Sergeant Ryan Gerrity, resulting in charges against Zayon Smallwood, 22, and Zaire Valencia, 23, both from Newark, New Jersey.
Valencia has been charged with third-degree conspiracy to commit theft of a motor vehicle, while Smallwood faces third-degree attempted theft of a motor vehicle. At the time of this press release, both Valencia and Smallwood are being held in the Essex County Jail on unrelated criminal charges.
Chief Matthew Nazzaro commended the efforts of both the Investigative and Patrol Divisions and expressed gratitude to other agencies that provided support. “Our Investigative Division credited the New Jersey State Police Auto Theft Task Force, the Newark Police Robbery Division, and the Monroe Township Police Department for assisting in the successful resolution of this investigation,” Chief Nazzaro stated.
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Release by D/Lt. Spencer Durkin
908-709-7346 / s-durkin@cranfordnj.org