Witness leads police to carjacking suspect

BY CHRISTINEVARNO
Staff Writer

BY CHRISTINEVARNO
Staff Writer

LONG BRANCH — A Chelsea Avenue man was charged with attempted carjacking after his struggle with a passenger was foiled by a witness who intervened, police said.

The incident happened two weeks ago on Chelsea Avenue when Leandro Siquiera, 25, allegedly attempted to steal a vehicle occupied by an Asbury Park man who told police he was waiting in the parked van for a friend, Detective Lt. Bruce Johantgen said.

A report of a male attempting to pull another out of a vehicle on Chelsea Avenue near the railroad tracks was received by police about 1:49 p.m. July 10, Johantgen said. Officers Raul Aponte, John Evangelho and Marcos Rodrigues responded to the scene.

The 60-year-old victim told police he was sitting in a van owned by his friend and was waiting while the friend retrieved an unknown item from his Chelsea Avenue home, according to police reports.

At that time, the victim reported that an unknown person reached into the van and punched him in the face. The suspect then attempted to drive away with the victim still inside, police said.

The suspect then tried to pull the victim out of the van onto a sidewalk. A witness told police he saw the incident, and when he came to the victim’s aid, the suspect fled the area.

"The witness intervened," Johantgen said. "He saw what was going on and ran toward the van when the suspect took off. He saw where the guy ran to."

The witness escorted officers Evangelho and Rodrigues to a nearby multifamily residence on Chelsea Avenue, where he saw the suspect enter, Johantgen said.

Police said the witness gave a description of the suspect and identified Siquiera as officers escorted him out of the Chelsea Avenue home, Johantgen said. The victim also identified Siquiera later, Johantgen said.

Siquiera was charged with attempted carjacking and was being held in the Monmouth County jail, Freehold Township, in lieu of $50,000 bail with no 10-percent option.