High-Speed Chase Of Stolen Warren Car Leads To Arrest Of 4 Teens

WARREN, NJ — Four teenagers were charged with stealing an unlocked BMW in Warren after leading police on a high-speed chase and crashing, Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson said.

On Saturday, Nov. 7 at about 8:10 a.m., a Warren Township resident saw her BMW being stolen from her driveway and called police, Robertson said.

While going to the resident's home a Warren Township Police Officer saw the stolen BMW and a Range Rover, which was also found to be stolen from Newark, speed past on Washington Valley Road, Robertson said.

A police chase began after both cars did not stop and instead drove onto I-78 East into Berkeley Heights, Robertson said.

The driver of the stolen Range Rover crashed into another car at the intersection of Valley Road and Diamond Hill Road in Berkley Heights. Two men got out of the Range Rover and got inside the stolen BMW, which also had two boys inside, Robertson said.

The BMW then drove off before crashing on the eastbound ramp onto I-78 from Diamond Hill Road. All four teens were then arrested by Warren Township Police Officers.

There were no injuries reported from either crash. Al-Tamir Thornton, 18, of Schuyler Avenue in Newark and a 17-year-old were both found to be unlicensed, according to the investigation.

Thornton was charged with second-degree eluding, third-degree receiving stolen property, third-degree theft of movable property, and third-degree conspiracy. Thornton was taken to Somerset County Jail pending a bail detention hearing.

The three boys ages 15, 16, and 17 were each charged with juvenile delinquency charges of second-degree eluding, third-degree theft of movable property, third-degree receiving stolen property, and third-degree conspiracy.

The 17-year-old juvenile was taken to the Middlesex County Juvenile Detention Center pending a family court appearance. The 15 and 16-year-old juveniles were released to their parents pending a family court appearance.

Authorities are still investigating two other car burglaries that also happened on Nov. 7 in Warren:

• A Cedar Ridge Lane resident said someone entered their unlocked car and stole their registration and key fob.
• An Arlington Court resident said someone entered their unlocked car and stole various items.

Robertson is "urging residents to lock their vehicles and remove their belongings, particularly key fobs from their vehicles. Suspects routinely target unlocked vehicles with personal items of value in plain view. The vehicles which are targeted are often left unlocked with the vehicle’s key fob left inside."

Many of these thefts occur overnight into the early morning hours.

Anyone with information relating to this incident to contact the Warren Township Police Department at 908-753-1000 or via the STOPit app. Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports and Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.

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