Essex County Juvenile Charged With Carjacking
After a six-month investigation, the Cranford Police Department has charged a juvenile from Essex County with carjacking. The charge comes after the police investigated a case of motor vehicle theft that involved physical force in September 2023.
On September 23rd, 2023, at around 9:26 pm, the police were dispatched to a business on the 300 block of East North Avenue following a report of a motor vehicle theft. According to the victim, an unknown individual entered the passenger side of their car and tried to drive off while they were putting air in the tires. The victim had a brief physical altercation with the suspect, during which a second suspect arrived and threatened the victim with violence. The first suspect then fled the scene with the victim's car, while the second suspect left in a stolen Porsche.
During a follow-up investigation, Detective Robert Jordan was able to identify one of the suspects as a 13-year-old juvenile from Newark, New Jersey. The juvenile was charged with first-degree carjacking and remanded to a juvenile detention center in Essex County, New Jersey awaiting a court appearance.
Chief Greco has warned that residents should remain vigilant and aware of their surroundings as motor vehicle crimes have become increasingly violent, despite the offenders' age.
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Release by D/Lt. Spencer Durkin
s-durkin@cranfordnj.org / 908-709-7346
Cranford Police Department