PARK RIDGE, N.J.—On the afternoon of Jan. 22 officers were dispatched to Staples on a report of a theft that had just occurred. Upon arrival the reporting officer was met by the store manager, who said that two Hispanic male suspects who were in the store took off running through the parking lot.
He explained that he two had been acting suspiciously, walking down separate aisles and meeting up at the back of the store.
When the manager approached them there, he said he saw one adjust his jacket, “at which time he noticed that the jacket was now puffed up. He added that he could see what appeared to be defined outlines of packages,” the report reads.
The two then headed for the front of the store and the manager followed. As they made for the exit, the manager tried to stop them, and one allegedly said, “You can’t search me because I wont beep.”
They allegedly shoved the manager on their way out and ran north through the parking lot toward Montvale.
The manager reported a light blue Dodge Caravan with New York plates drove past him.
“A female driver laughed at him and then started to exit the parking lot,” police said.
The manager then “jumped into his truck and attempted to follow the two males,” police said.
He observed the van turn right onto Kinderkamack Road heading north. He then observed the van turn into the parking lot of the Exxon station in Montvale and stop on Wayne Street.
“The two males then jumped into the van and continued north on Kinderkamack Road heading toward New York.
After getting caught up in traffic the manager gave up the chase and called police.
“The only descriptions of the actors that were given were one Hispanic male wearing a black jacket, one Hispanic male wearing a gray jacket, and the female driver wearing a pink jacket,” police said.
The manager said he saw a baby seat in the rear of the van when it drove past him.
The Detective Bureau was notified and responded. Montvale police were also notified to see if the Exxon station picked up the vehicle on their camera system.
