Local Carjacking Leads to Stolen Weapons

Two men who were arrested for leading police on a car chase in a stolen car through Nutley and Belleville have been implicated in a robbery of guns, ammunition and personal belongings at a Cranford home, according to Cranford police.

Belleville and Nutley police had arrested Yusef Shark, 19, and Devon Bailey, 20, both of East Orange after a car chase involving both departments ended in a foot chase in Belleville on May 8. At the time of the arrest, a .45-caliber handgun and shotgun were found inside the stolen car. Cranford police connected the two weapons to a home that was burglarized in Cranford, which is in Union County, the day before.

Cranford Det. Ryan Greco processed the crime scene at a home on Hickory Street and collected evidence that would tie the men to the break-in. According to the Cranford Police Dept., Greco learned during his investigation that items from the home burglary were being stored on Shepard Avenue in East Orange. On May 10, police from the Cranford and East Orange police departments searched the address and found the five remaining stolen guns, ammunition and the homeowner’s personal items.

Besides the charges they are facing in Belleville, Nutley and East Orange, Shark and Bailey are also facing charges of: burglary, theft, and weapons offenses in connection with the Cranford burglary. Both Shark and Bailey are being held in the Essex County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.

“It took only hours for these stolen weapons to be used in multiple violent crimes; however, through the swift and diligent work of the Cranford Police
Department’s Investigative Division these suspects were apprehended and all the guns recovered," Cranford Police Chief Eric G. Mason said. "The inter-agency cooperation between Cranford and the Nutley and Belleville Police Departments was instrumental in resolving this case and ensuring that no one else fell victim to their crime spree."