3 Cop Impersonators Broke Into Bergen County Home, Tied Up 2 Kids, 1 Adult: Prosecutor

CLIFFSIDE PARK, NJ — Three people have been charged in a Bergen County home invasion in which they impersonated police and tied up an adult and two kids, prosecutors say.

Diogenes A. Rosario, 49, of New York City, Leonel Perez, 38, of New York City, and Misael Diaz, 38, of Yonkers have been charged with kidnapping, robbery, and impersonating law enforcement in connection with the Oct. 12 incident, said the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office.

Prosecutors say that on that Saturday, just before 2 a.m., the Cliffside Park Police Department responded to a home invasion at a multi-family residence on Crescent Lane.

Prosecutors and police determined that three men in fake police badges had forced their way into the residence.

"Once inside, the suspects forcibly restrained three victims, two of whom were under the age of 14," prosecutors said. Three other kids were sleeping and were left alone, prosecutors said.

Then, the three men allegedly ransacked the home and took valuables.

Investigators eventually identified a stolen license plate number linked to the getaway vehicle, prosecutors said.

Additional investigation led detectives to the three men.

Last Wednesday, with the assistance of the Bergen County Regional SWAT Team, detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Squad found and arrested Rosario at a home in Ridgefield. He was brought to the Bergen County Jail to await a court appearance.

The same day, investigators including New York City police arrested Perez in New York City. He was taken to Riker's Island to await extradition to New Jersey.

This past Friday, with the help of the FBI and Yonkers police, Diaz was found and arrested in Yonkers and taken to the Westchester County Jail, to await extradition to Bergen County.

All three men were charged with three counts of first-degree kidnapping, second-degree robbery, second-degree conspiracy to commit robbery, burglary, theft, endangering the welfare of a child, and impersonating a law enforcement officer, prosecutors said.