Home Break-In Leads To High-Speed Pursuit Of Teen Drivers In Bergen County: Police

WOODCLIFF LAKE, NJ — A high-speed pursuit of a stolen SUV was initiated in Woodcliff Lake after police responded at 12:45 a.m. Thursday to a resident's home that had been broken into for the second time in three weeks, the borough police department said in an alert.

Camera footage showed that the occupants of the 2019 Alfa Romeo Stelvio were approximately 13 to 16 years old, police said.

The driver, at one point, steered the vehicle head-on toward a responding officer; fortunately, police said, the officer was able to swerve to avoid a collision.

Officers pursued the vehicle, yet had to call off the chase due to public safety concerns.

"The fleeing vehicle was traveling extremely fast on side roads, and our vehicles could not safely keep up," police Lt. Chad Malloy said, adding that officers then radioed surrounding towns of the direction of travel.

Paramus police observed the vehicle on Garden State Parkway and pursued, but again the chase was terminated in Newark out of public safety concern, police said. The vehicle was later found abandoned in Newark.

Both suspects, police said, showed "complete disregard" for their own lives, the public's lives and the officers' lives.

"We are utilizing every technology and investigative technique available to us in an attempt to identify these criminals," police said.