By: Richard L. Smith
On February 14th, what is typically a day of romance turned into a scene of crime in Wayne, New Jersey.
Wayne Police Officers Harrison Kirby and David Talerico initiated a traffic stop on Route 23 at around 3:34 PM. They had noticed a Toyota sedan following another vehicle too closely, with an occupant not wearing a seatbelt.
The vehicle's occupants, unable to provide driving credentials, raised further suspicions when the license plate was found to be registered to a different vecarWayne Police official said that Officer David Beltran arrived as backup, and a William Paterson University Police Officer was called to the scene for translation, as none of the occupants spoke English.
During the stop, officers observed suspected drug paraphernalia inside the vehicle, along with numerous clothing items and perfumes with store tags attached. These items appeared to be from Ulta Beauty, a store frequently targeted for theft.
After contacting Ulta Beauty, an employee confirmed that similar items had been stolen from the store within the last two hours. Surveillance images provided by Ulta Beauty matched the vehicle's occupants.
As a result, Dugleidy Gonzalez-Riera, Yefferson Prieto-Galviz, and Morelis Blanco-Cineros, all residing at the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan, NY, were arrested.
A search of their persons and vehicle uncovered Ecstasy pills, more drug paraphernalia, and stolen merchandise worth over $5,300 from various stores, including Ulta, Kohl's, JC Penney, and Macy's.
During processing, it was revealed that the defendants had provided false identities.
Given the extent of their alleged crimes, including shoplifting sprees, drug possession, and driving an unregistered and uninsured vehicle without licenses, they were deemed a danger to the community.
Consequently, all three were detained at the Passaic County Jail, awaiting detention hearings.
The arrest brought an end to their Valentine's Day spree, which victimized numerous businesses and posed risks to pedestrians and motorists.