BRANCHBURG, NJ – The Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office has announced an arrest of a car thief who stole a Branchburg woman’s Jeep out of her driveway Sunday morning.
Acting Somerset County Prosecutor Thomas Chirichella and Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of County Detectives John W. Fodor announced the arrest of Elijah Harden, age 31, of East Orange for theft relating to an incident that was reported to the Branchburg Township Police Department.
According to the Somerset County Prosecutor’s office, on Sunday at approximately 6:33 a.m. a Kenbury Road resident of Branchburg Township reported that someone had stolen her Jeep which had been parked in her driveway.
“On March 21, 2022 follow-up investigation by Branchburg Township Police Detectives determined that the stolen vehicle had been frequenting a specific area in Newark, New Jersey. Branchburg detectives contacted the Newark Police Department and requested assistance in locating the stolen vehicle,” the agency said in a statement. “At approximately 10:35 a.m. a Newark Police Officer located the stolen vehicle traveling on Avon Avenue, the officers attempted to stop the vehicle.”
Police said Harden, who was driving the vehicle, lost control and struck an unoccupied parked vehicle on Avon Avenue while attempting to flee. Harden was apprehended after a brief foot pursuit and was charged by the Newark Police Department with Receiving Stolen Property and Resisting Arrest. He was subsequently released on his own recognizance pending a court appearance.
A search of the vehicle by Branchburg Detectives revealed 6 credit cards belonging to a North Branch resident and 1 credit card belonging to a resident of Bridgewater Township. Detectives also verified that one of the credit cards had been used to make an unauthorized purchase.
On March 24, 2022, Harden was charged by Branchburg Police with 4th Degree Fraudulent Possession of a Credit Card, 3rd Degree Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card, and 4th Degree Unauthorized Use of a Credit Card. Harden has not yet been apprehended on the Somerset County charges and has been placed as wanted by the National Crime Information Center (NCIC).