15-Year-Old Hired To Mow Lawn, Instead Carjacked Homeowner: Police

SUFFERN, NY — A teen who made extra cash by mowing a senior citizen's yard, took much more than he was owed, according to police.

The Suffern Police Department says that on Saturday, around 12:22 p.m., a resident of the West Ward area of the village contacted them to report that her neighbor had been pushed to the ground, and the neighbor's vehicle had been stolen.

Once patrol officers arrived on the scene, they found an elderly woman who identified herself as the victim. She told them that a person known to her, came to her home and asked her to move her vehicle from her driveway so he could mow her lawn.

The victim told officers that she had paid the person to mow her lawn several times in the past, but this time, when she headed into the entry hallway of her home to retrieve the car keys, the suspect followed her inside.

The victim told police that she attempted to hand the suspect her keys, but instead, he took the keys from her and pushed her to the ground, causing injuries to her right arm. He then entered the victim's vehicle and drove away.

The woman was treated at the scene by EMS and was later brought to Good Samaritan Hospital by her son for evaluation.

The vehicle was entered into NCIC as a stolen motor vehicle and soon after, Suffern police were notified by Englewood, New Jersey police that they located the vehicle in their jurisdiction and attempted to stop it. However, the driver tried to flee and led police in a pursuit, striking several uninvolved vehicles.

Police say the pursuit ended in a crash on Route 4, near the George Washington Bridge, where the driver was arrested.

The suspect was identified as a 15-year-old, male resident of the Mahwah, New Jersey portion of the West Ward. Police say he admitted that he had stolen the vehicle, but became uncooperative and aggressive. He is currently being held in a juvenile detention facility in New Jersey, awaiting arraignment on charges lodged by the Englewood Police Department.

Suffern detectives said they are are working with the Rockland County District Attorney's Office to secure the teen's appearance in the Youth Part of Rockland County Criminal Court for arraignment on his New York charges.