Kearny New Jersey police arrested an East Orange NJ man accused of stealing a truck and driving away with a child in the backseat.
According to authorities, the 39-year-old suspect drove off in a 2007 Freightliner truck without getting the owner’s permission. The suspect was said to be involved in a dispute with the truck’s owner.
The suspect, who resides on Prospect Street in East Orange, later told police that he was allowed to take the truck because he legally owned 51 percent of the vehicle.
When the alleged theft occurred, a minor female was sitting in the back of the truck. The girl, who is the daughter of the truck owner, reportedly knows the suspect.
According to law enforcement, the suspect drove “a considerable distance” before realizing that the girl was seated in the truck.
The suspect then allegedly drove back to the scene of the theft and returned the child to her father.
The suspect was placed under arrest and charged with carjacking and kidnapping.
If the suspect is eventually convicted on the kidnapping charges, he would be subject to severe criminal penalties. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:13-1, anyone who unlawfully removes a person from a place without obtaining their consent can be charged with a first or second degree criminal offense. In this case, the suspect reportedly returned the victim prior to being apprehended, so he could face a sentence of 5-10 years in New Jersey State Prison.
After being arrested and processed, the suspect was transported to the Hudson County Jail. He was being held at the correctional facility on a $200,000 bail amount.
For more information about this case, go to NJ.com article entitled “East Orange Man Charged with Carjacking and Kidnapping in Kearny.”
