Attempted Car Theft Leads To Arrest Of 3 Teens In Summit: Police

SUMMIT, NJ — Three Newark teens were arrested in Summit over the weekend after attempting to steal a car, according to Summit Police.

While patrolling in east Summit on Saturday around 1:50 a.m., a Summit officer observed a 2021 Toyota Highlander, which was occupied by four people, run a red light at the intersection of Broad Street and Middle Avenue. It was later confirmed that this car was stolen out of Newark.

According to the police report, the officer attempted to pull over the suspect vehicle, but it refused to stop and proceeded west on Springfield Avenue.

After receiving confirmation that the car was stolen out of Newark, the officer began to pursue it as it traveled eastbound on Broad Street toward Route 24, police said. The pursuit ended when the car collided with a Millburn police unit on the Broad Street entrance ramp to Route 24.

Police said there were no reported injuries to officers or suspects involved in the crash.

Following the collision, one suspect was immediately arrested as they attempted to exit the vehicle, according to police. The three other suspects fled the scene of the accident, heading toward Springfield.

Within minutes, police said the driver of the stolen car was arrested a short distance from the crash site.

Millburn and Springfield police departments, as well as members of the Union County K-9 unit, assisted in the search for the two remaining suspects. Approximately 90 minutes later, police said the third suspect was arrested near Wawa on 685 Morris Essex Turnpike in Springfield.

The fourth suspect remains missing, according to police.

Following an investigation, the three suspects were charged with the following, according to Summit Police :

The driver, a 16-year-old boy from Newark, was charged with receiving stolen property and eluding police. He was sent to the Essex County Detention Center following processing.

The two passengers, both 15-year-old boys from Newark, were charged with receiving stolen property and were released to their guardians.

Summit Police Department asks anyone with information pertinent to the investigation, including surveillance footage of the suspect vehicle in the area, to contact the Detective Bureau at (908) 273-0051.

In related news, a resident also reported that two unknown individuals entered their unlocked 2018 BMW M55 on June 13 at around 4 a.m, according to the most recent police blotter.

The resident on Whittredge Road said the center console of their car had been opened and rummaged through but nothing was taken.

The full police blotter can be viewed on the Summit Police Department website.