LINDEN, NJ — School #1 was briefly placed on lockdown Tuesday morning after an attempted carjacking nearby led to a swift police response and the arrest of two juveniles.
Officers responded to the 700 block of E. Curtis Street around 8:30 a.m. following reports of two masked suspects approaching a vehicle stopped along the curb. According to initial reports, the suspects opened the driver’s side door, acted as though they had a weapon, and ordered the driver to exit the vehicle. The driver refused and drove away from the scene.
Police quickly identified and detained two juveniles matching the suspects’ description nearby. Investigators confirmed their involvement in the incident and took them into custody.
During the investigation, officers learned the suspects might also be connected to a similar incident in the Walgreens parking lot at 22 E. St. George Avenue earlier that morning. No injuries were reported in either incident.
Linden Police Chief David Hart praised the quick action of officers and detectives. “We will never waiver in our commitment to protect our children or in our fight to keep violent crime out of our community,” Hart said in a statement.