6 Kids, Including One With Ankle Monitor, Charged After Stolen Car Crashes In Caldwells

FAIRFIELD, NJ — Six kids ages 12-14 were charged with various offenses earn Sunday morning after police pursued a stolen car that eventually crashed.

The Fairfield police said that on Sunday, June 4, at approximately 3:03 a.m., police got a call from a Big Piece Road resident who said he saw several people tugging on car door handles in his driveway. The strangers then got into a red sedan and drove away, toward Horseneck Road, the caller said.

When police responded, Corporal Steven D’Argenio saw a car matching the description on Esposito Drive.

Corporal D’Argenio and other officers attempted to stop the vehicle, police said. When the vehicle didn't stop, police pursued it, but had to end the pursuit "due to high speeds and a concern for the safety of the public."

Soon after, the car crashed in West Caldwell, police said.

With the assistance of the West Caldwell Police Department, Millburn Police Department, Essex County Sheriff’s Department, and other area law enforcement agencies, police took three juveniles into custody and brought them to headquarters in Fairfield.

Police then found out that the red sedan was a recently stolen 2020 Kia Forte.

Then, according to the West Caldwell police, they got calls about three other junveniles "banging on doors in a residential area, not far from the crash site."

Police determined that the other three kids had been in the stolen car too, and arrested them.

All six were charged with: receiving stolen property, resisting arrest, conspiracy, burglary, and possession of burglary tools.

They were all released to the custody of their parents with the exception of one, who was brought to the Essex County Youth House in Newark, police said.

"This is still an ongoing investigation and further charges may be pending," police said on Monday.

Fairfield Police Chief Anthony G. Manna said, “This case strongly emphasizes the problem of the continuing stolen car epidemic in New Jersey as the ages of the juvenile offenders involved in this case ranged between 12-14 years of age with one of these offenders having a court-ordered monitoring device on him at the time of the arrest."

He added, "Until there are meaningful consequences for such activity or until our society can divert these youthful offenders away from committing such crimes and rather be involved in other productive activity, we will continue to be faced with this problem."

With car thefts on the rise, legislators have recently complained that car theft rings are using younger kids to commit the crimes, as they tend to receive shorter sentences. READ MORE: 4 Teens Caught In Stolen Car After Pursuit In Livingston