Neighbor Helps Police Nab 2 Men Suspected In 6 Car Burglaries In N.J.
PRINCETON, N.J. (CBSNewYork) – A neighbor helped police catch two men accused of breaking into at least six cars in New Jersey.
His tip led to a wild chase that ended in a crash.
"I heard my car beep like somebody was locking it," Ahsan Farooqi told CBS2's Clark Fouraker.
The high-speed chase started at Farooqi's house in Monmouth Junction after he looked down from his bedroom window to see who was by his car.
"I thought he was a neighborhood kid, so I just went back in my house and grabbed the car key and was in my driveway. My intent was just to follow him to see which house he goes into," he said. "A black BMW zoomed right out of there, and that's when I just try to follow them."
Police said the eventual crash happened around 3 a.m. Friday on Route 27 in Princeton. When officers arrived, they found two 18-year-old suspects standing next to the car.
"I guess they were in shock too, because the car was in pretty bad shape after the crash, and I think after that they were probably shell-shocked and just didn't know what to do," said Det. Dennis Yuhasz, of the South Brunswick Police Department.
Police said inside the car they found evidence of more than one burglary.
"We were able to link them with jewelry that had been stolen from a motor vehicle burglary the night before and then also a laptop," Yuhasz said.
In total, investigators connected the men to six different car burglaries in the area.
"Those kids, it reminded me of my youth, but they were going pretty fast," said Farooqi.
Nothing was stolen out of his car.