Teens Crash Car Near Willowbrook Mall After High-Speed Chase: PD

WAYNE, NJ — A group of Connecticut teenagers who led police on a multi-town, high-speed chase Sunday crashed their stolen vehicle near the Willowbrook Mall, police announced.

The chase began in Hanover when Hanover police officers flagged the vehicle for speeding and tried to stop it on Route 10, Hanover police said.

Police chased the vehicle onto Route 287 northbound, then Route 80, and then to Route 46 in Wayne, police said. The car broke down near the Willowbrook Mall, authorities said.

The driver "rammed" a North Caldwell Police Department vehicle in Little Falls before it broke down, police said.

Some juveniles fled on foot, but police chased after them and eventually caught up with them and apprehended them, police said.

The juveniles were between 13 and 17 and from the New Haven, Connecticut area, police said. They were initially charged with eluding, receiving stolen property, possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia, police said.

There are several motor vehicle charges pending from each of the jurisdictions they traveled through, including aggravated assault for hitting the police vehicle, police said.

Detectives linked the juveniles to 17 car burglaries in Hanover before the pursuit began, police said. They also may be possibly responsible for burglaries in Florham Park, 15 Livingston, Somers, and Kent.

All the juveniles were lodged in the Morris County Detention Center pending court appearances, police said.

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com