STAFFORD – Two Newark men were criminally charged after local officers discovered their car was listed as stolen, police said.
On July 23 around 1:23 a.m., the Stafford Township Police Department received a hit from their fixed License Plate Reader (LPR) located on Route 72 East in the area of the Garden State Parkway for a stolen BMW out of New York City.
The Stafford Township Communications Center monitored the BMW with additional hits from LPRs on Long Beach Island, and on the Route 72 Causeway Bridge.
Shortly later, officers saw the stolen 2021 black BMW SUV speeding westbound over the Causeway Bridge. As a result, a pursuit was initiated.
The stolen BMW continued westbound on Route 72 and then headed north onto the Garden State Parkway. During this time, officers were able to deploy tire deflation devices, also known as “spike strips,” that damaged the two front tires of the car.
The car continued north on the Parkway despite having damaged tires. Police said the BMW then took the Barnegat exit, but then quickly reentered the parkway continuing northbound.
Eventually, the car became disabled around milepost 79.6 and three people fled from the car.
Several departments assisted at the scene, including the New Jersey State Police and the police departments from Toms River, Beachwood, and South Toms River. Subsequently, two of the three suspects were arrested.
They were identified as Joseph Young-Stewart, 25, and Tamir Pitts, 18, both from Newark. The two were charged with numerous criminal charges and offenses, and transported to the Ocean County Jail. The additional person, whose identity is unknown, has not been located, authorities said.
“Our department would like to thank all of the departments who assisted us in this investigation. Also, thank you to all of our dedicated dispatchers who assisted our Officers during this incident,” Stafford police said in a statement.
The public are reminded that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
