SECAUCUS, N.J. — Two 17-year-old males from Newark have been charged in connection with an April home invasion and vehicle theft in Secaucus following a multi-week investigation by the town’s police department.
The incident began late April 16 when a passerby alerted a Secaucus officer to an abandoned red BMW M3 near 1262 Paterson Plank Road. The witness also reported seeing the vehicle’s occupants fleeing in a white SUV. Shortly after, at 11:46 p.m., police received a 9-1-1 call from an Arn Terrace resident reporting a neighbor’s vehicles had just been stolen from their driveway.
Responding officers determined that three suspects had arrived in a Hyundai Sonata, later discovered to be stolen from Irvington, although it had not yet been reported as such. Two suspects entered the home on Arn Terrace and stole keys to a BMW M3 and an Audi Q7, fleeing the scene in both vehicles.
The BMW was abandoned on Paterson Plank Road, while the Audi was seen fleeing at speeds over 100 mph by Sergeant Taylor Ensmann. Along with Officer Jude Masullo, he pursued the vehicle onto the highway and into Newark, where they lost sight of it.
By 3:16 a.m. the following morning, the stolen Audi was located in Matawan. It fled again upon sighting a marked police vehicle, leading to a second unsuccessful pursuit. Authorities ultimately recovered the vehicle around 4:29 a.m. in Newark.
Key points
- Two 17-year-olds from Newark charged in Secaucus home invasion and vehicle theft
- Stolen BMW M3 and Audi Q7 used in the crime; both later recovered
- Secaucus Police pursued the Audi Q7 at high speed into Newark
Police chief calls for stronger juvenile accountability laws
Following weeks of investigation, detectives from the Secaucus Police Anti-Crime Unit identified and charged the two teens. Due to their age and the absence of firearms in the crime, they cannot be prosecuted as adults under current New Jersey law.
“This is yet another clear example that our legislators need to update our laws that would hold juveniles accountable for committing such heinous acts,” said Chief Dennis Miller. He commended the officers for their investigative efforts but expressed frustration over limitations in prosecuting juvenile offenders.
