Police Arrest Suspect After Stealing Vehicle from Rt 17 Coffee Shops

East Rutherford Police caught up with and arrested a suspect in Newark who allegedly stole a vehicle from a Paramus Starbucks on Route 17 South Tuesday morning.

According to The Record, the car’s owner, a 48-year-old Ridgewood man, left the vehicle running while he went inside the Starbucks on Route 17 South just after 5:45 a.m. Tuesday. The thief took off in the vehicle, a 2005 black Toyota Sequoia, and the owner came outside to find it missing, police said.

The car’s owner called Paramus police, who put out a countywide alert. Police in East Rutherford spotted the car, and began a pursuit that went through Clifton and ended on Bridge Street in Newark.

Car theives seeking distracted shoppers were successful the day before as well as they left their vehicles running.  

According to a Paramus Police press release, on Monday night at approximatley 11:10 p.m., a 2011 gold Dodge Durango was stolen from outside of the Dunkin Donuts at 494 Rt. 17 north in Paramus. The owner, a 48 year old male from Hackensack, had left the vehicle running while he went inside. While inside, he observed his vehicle backing out of the spot he had parked in. The vehicle has not been recovered.

On Tuesday morning at 5:50 a.m., a 2005 black Toyota Sequoia was stolen from outside of the Starbucks at 177 Rt. 17 south in Paramus. The owner, a 48 year old male from Ridgewood, had left the vehicle running while he went inside. The vehicle was recovered a short time later by the East Rutherford Police Department.

There have been several similar thefts of vehicles in the last three months where the driver has left the keys in the vehicle and/or the vehicle running in front of a business. Police are urging motorists to remove their keys and lock the vehicle prior to leaving it unattended. 

There is no confirmation that any of the incidents are related.

Anyone with information regarding both incidenents should contact Paramus Police Department: 201-262-3400  Ext. 346.