Boy, 13, Stole Or Tried To Steal 15 Cars In Bayonne: Police

BAYONNE, NJ — Cars being broken into or people trying car door handles is an ongoing problem in Secaucus.

And on Thursday, Bayonne Police announced they just charged a 13-year-old boy from Jersey City with stealing — or trying to steal — 15 cars in that town. Police apprehended the young man after he led them on a wild car chase through the streets of Bayonne Monday night in a Hyundai police say he had just stolen.

Bayonne Police think he committed all the car thefts alone, without accomplices.

At 10:30 p.m. Monday, officers responded to the area of Islandview Court for a 911 call of a motor vehicle theft. Officers met with the woman, who stated that after she heard a loud noise coming from outside, she peered out her apartment window and observed her 2015 Hyundai being driven away. Officers saw broken window glass on the street where the vehicle was parked before being stolen and broadcast its description.

While on scene investigating, officers came across a parked, unoccupied 2013 Hyundai in the area with the engine running. This was not the woman's car, but it did have a broken side window, and the steering column showed evidence of being tampered with. It matched the description of a car that had just been stolen from West 8th Street just moments before.

A short time later, officers in the area of West 48th Street observed the stolen vehicle from Islandview Court traveling at a high rate of speed.

Officers tried to pull the car over, but the driver refused to comply and fled north on Avenue B. The pursuit quickly ended when the suspect driver turned onto the dead-end street of West 51st Street, got out and fled on foot through an apartment complex courtyard.

After a brief foot chase, the teen driver was apprehended and taken into custody from a backyard on West 51st Street. He was the 13-year-old boy from Jersey City.

While the teen was at headquarters being processed Monday night, Bayonne Police detectives linked him to 14 other car thefts or break-ins. Including Monday night's car theft, police say he stole or tried to steal 15 cars, starting on Feb. 16.

They are:

• Feb. 16: Victim reports her 2017 Hyundai stolen from the area of 43rd Street and Broadway; evidence of a broken window observed at scene. The vehicle was ultimately abandoned and recovered the same day in Jersey City. Upon recovery, it was apparent that the steering column was tampered with as well.
• Feb. 16: Victim reports her 2007 Kia burglarized and attempted to be stolen in the area of 46th and Avenue E. The side window was broken and the steering column tampered with in an effort to start and steal the vehicle.
• Feb. 17: Victim reports his 2016 Hyundai stolen from the area of 45th Street and Avenue C. The vehicle was ultimately abandoned and recovered the same day in Jersey City. Upon recovery, a side window was shattered and the steering column was tampered with as well.
• Feb. 19: Victim reports her 2017 Kia burglarized and a side window broken in the area of West 44th.
• Feb. 19: Victim reports her 2020 Hyundai stolen from the area of 46th Street and Avenue B. Side window determined to be broken.
• Feb. 19: Victim reports her 2010 Hyundai burglarized and a side window broken in the area of 43rd Street and Kennedy Boulevard. It was apparent that the steering column was tampered with as well.
• March 3: Victim reports her 2013 Hyundai stolen from the area of 44th Street and Kennedy Boulevard. The vehicle was ultimately abandoned and recovered the same day in Jersey City. Upon recovery, a side window was shattered and the steering column was tampered with as well.
• March 3: Victim reports her 2020 Hyundai burglarized and attempted to be stolen from the area of 46th Street and Avenue B. The side window was broken and the steering column tampered with in an effort to start and steal the vehicle.
• March 3: Victim reports her 2022 Hyundai burglarized and attempted to be stolen from the area of 42nd Street and Avenue B. The side window was broken and the steering column tampered with in an effort to start and steal the vehicle.
• March 3: Victim reports his 2016 Hyundai stolen from the area of West 33rd Street. The vehicle was ultimately abandoned and recovered the same day in Jersey City after being involved in a crash. Upon recovery, a side window was shattered and the steering column was tampered with as well.
• March 4: Victim reports her 2022 Hyundai burglarized and attempted to be stolen from the area of West 36th Street. The side window was broken and the steering column tampered with in an effort to start and steal the vehicle.
• March 4: Victim reports his 2013 Hyundai stolen from the area of East 23rd Street. Evidence of a broken window was observed at scene.
• March 4: Victim reports her 2020 Hyundai burglarized and attempted to be stolen from the area of 33rd Street and Avenue E. The side window was broken and the steering column tampered with in an effort to start and steal the vehicle.
• March 4: Victim reports his 2013 Hyundai burglarized and attempted to be stolen from the area of 13th Street and Kennedy Boulevard. The side window was broken and the steering column tampered with in an effort to start and steal the vehicle. (The car police found running Monday night.)

Bayonne Police say they have evidence to positively identify the 13-year-old boy as the actor in all incidents.

Police say his spree ran from February 16 through March 4, and he went after Kias and Hyundais, most likely because of the way their steering wheels are designed that can enable the engine to be started without a key.

The break-ins all followed a similar pattern: The actor would break out a side window, enter the car, access the ignition module by removing/attempting to remove the steering column covering, and steal the car or attempt to do so.

Total Charges (all incidents) filed against the 13-year-old boy:
MV Theft (6 counts)
Attempted MV Theft (5 counts)
Burglary (13 counts)
Criminal Mischief (13 counts)
Receiving Stolen Property (2 counts)
Resisting Arrest (1 count)
Eluding (1 count)
Total: 41 charges

Several of the stolen cars were recovered in Bayonne or other towns and were returned to the owners.