3 Men, 1 Minor Caught With 18 Stolen Tax Refund Checks In Bergen County: Police

MAHWAH, NJ — An officer who spotted unusual behavior near an ATM in North Jersey wound up catching three men and a minor with 18 tax return checks and other items that didn't belong to them, police said.

Police in Mahwah said that on Sunday, just before 5 p.m., Officer Christopher Minchin noticed several people congregating around an ATM at a closed business on Franklin Turnpike.

When they saw Minchin, they immediately got into a car and left, police said. But Minchin conducted a traffic stop.

Three adults from the Bronx and a juvenile were in the car, police said.

"The occupants gave conflicting stories as to what they were doing in the area," police said.

Police got consent to search the vehicle and found:

• $12,200 in U.S. currency
• $4,900 in counterfeit $100 bills
• 17 debit and credit cards that didn't belong to them
• 18 U.S. Treasury tax return checks that didn't belong to them
• 18 money orders
• Codeine and THC

Police also seized Apple electronics, a Cartier watch, and a Goyard bag, but couldn't verify immediately if they were part of criminal activity.

The three men from the Bronx were arrested: Enyinnaya Ebere 20, Devine Fernandez 19, and Anthony Linen 18, police said.

They were charged with: Trafficking the IDs of another, theft of credit cards, receiving stolen property, possession of counterfeit currency, possession of controlled dangerous substances, and employing a juvenile in the commission of a crime.

The juvenile was taken to police headquarters and released to a guardian. He will be issued a complaint for juvenile delinquency, police said.

The three adults were taken to the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack where they await a hearing in Superior Court.

Police said, "Currency and property seized are turned over to the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office pending a civil forfeiture hearing. Once adjudicated, any currency forfeited is utilized by the Mahwah Police Department to purchase needed equipment at no expense to the residents."