Secaucus Woman Injured In Home Invasion, Police Dog Nabs Suspect

SECAUCUS, NJ — A Secaucus woman was injured when police say a local man broke into her apartment last Thursday afternoon, pushed her against a wall, stole items from her and then fled.

However, that same man was later apprehended by Secaucus' police canine, Strobe. K9 As Patch reported, Strobe only started on the Secaucus police force on May 11.

The break-in happened at 2:41 p.m. last Thursday, June 3: The burglary occurred in an apartment on County Avenue; the woman was home at the time. The woman reported that a man forced his way into her apartment, stole an item and fled. The woman encountered him inside her home and he pushed her against a wall, causing some minor injuries to her hand/arm, said police.

The burglar, later identified as George Maztek, fled the apartment complex toward Windsor Drive. Secaucus Police broadcast a description of Maztek and witnesses told police he fled into a warehouse, located on Windsor Drive.

Trying to avoid capture, Maztek forced entry into the second floor of the Windsor Drive warehouse. Responding Secaucus Police units from the patrol and detective divisions, Traffic Bureau and Anti-Crime Unit immediately established a perimeter around the warehouse and Police Officer Vince DeFazio, who handles the police dog, and K-9 Strobe were called in.

K-9 Strobe was able to locate Maztek hiding in a darkened office on the second floor of the warehouse, where he surrendered, without any resistance, and was placed under arrest. At the time of his arrest, evidence from the apartment burglary was recovered, said police.

“I am proud of how officers from the different facets of my department come together and work in unison to apprehend criminals,” Chief Dennis Miller said. “This use of K-9 Strobe in this arrest demonstrates the need for such animals in this line of work. Using a K-9 as a constructive tool alleviates the use of force in most situations, but also gives an alternative force option, which protects the safety of both the public and police."

This is the police dog's third involvement of a major crime: Strobe has already been used to investigate two crimes so far in Secaucus, said police, including this incident on May 5 where an Englewood man stole a car from the Subway parking lot on Meadowlands Parkway and later abandoned the car in town. Strobe, with his handler, Officer Vincent DeFazio, tracked the suspect to the parking lot of the Extended Stay motel, where he was arrested.

Maztek, 29, of Secaucus, was charged with Burglary [2C:18-2a], two counts of Criminal Trespass [2C:18-3a], Theft of Moveable Property [2C:20-3a], and Criminal Mischief [2C:173a(1)]. He was lodged in the Hudson County Jail, but released later that same day, in accordance with criminal justice reform.

Meet Strobe, Secaucus Police Dept.'s First Police Canine (May 11)

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