South Brunswick police have charged two people in connection to two separate stolen car cases.
Police received a 911 call from a man who said someone had stolen his 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe from the parking lot of Quick Chek on Route 130 in the Dayton section of South Brunswick around 10:15 a.m. on Jan. 24. Officer Aaron Parks arrived and was reportedly told by the victim that he offered a ride to a man he met at the Courtyard Marriot hotel on Route 535. The victim told Parks that when he got to Quick Chek the suspect put an unknown metal object against his neck and demanded his vehicle. The victim was uninjured and the suspect fled north on Route 130 in the vehicle, according to information provided by the South Brunswick Police Department.
Detectives Bryan Sites and Brady Shelcusky attempted to track down the stolen vehicle. The detectives developed information that the stolen Hyundai had crossed into Pennsylvania, according to the statement. Detectives coordinated with Philadelphia police to locate the vehicle. Officers from the 25th Precinct stopped the vehicle at 6:53 p.m. and charged a 27-year-old male from Salem, N.J., with the theft.
Detectives determined the man had been arrested the day before on the New Jersey Turnpike and ended up going to the Courtyard Marriot after his release, according to the statement.
The suspect was charged with carjacking, robbery and motor vehicle theft. Philadelphia police charged him with being a fugitive from justice and he is awaiting extradition to New Jersey.
The second stolen car case took place on Jan. 23 during the evening rush hour. Officer Gerald Sarno was running radar on Route 130 at 4:55 p.m. when he reportedly observed a silver Subaru traveling south on Route 130 at 93mph.
Sarno caught up to the vehicle which had slowed for traffic near Route 522, according to reports. Sarno determined the vehicle was stolen and conducted a high risk motor vehicle stop.
The driver of the Subaru, later identified as a 23-year-old from Milltown, allegedly pulled onto the grass median between the northbound and southbound sides of the highway. The driver continued to let the vehicle roll on the grass without coming to a complete stop for another 200 feet. The vehicle eventually stopped near Dayton Toyota, but the driver refused initial orders to exit the vehicle, according to reports.
Several officers responded and the highway was closed in both directions while officers attempted to take the man into custody. After several minutes, the suspect exited the car and was arrested, according to reports.
The suspect was charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle and issued numerous motor vehicle summonses.