HID Thieves Caught in NJ
03-24-2004, 12:00 PM
#1
HID Thiefs Caught in NJ
http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?...Y3dnFlZUVFeXkz
If you don't want to take the 4 seconds to put fake into in to enter the site, article is below:
Student charged in headlight thefts
Tuesday, March 23, 2004
By DOUGLASS CROUSE
STAFF WRITER
For one Clifton High School student, driving to and from classes presented an opportunity for study of another sort - casing parked cars for high-priced headlights that he and several others later removed and resold, police said Monday.
In recent years, the blue-tinted, high-intensity xenon lights have become popular with thieves in the metropolitan area, as Saturday's arrest of 18-year-old Jonathan Gonzalez and four Hudson County residents attests, police said.
Police said they found seven headlight assemblies in the Rutherford Boulevard home where Gonzalez lives with his parents. Authorities believe the group pried them from cars parked in lots and in front of homes over the past 10 days.
Most were taken from Nissan Maxima sedans manufactured in the last two years, police said.
Law enforcement officials say the high cost of the lights, combined with their relatively easy removal, make them attractive to thieves. Some are worth up to $1,000 each, but they fetch only about 10 percent to 15 percent of that on the street, authorities said.
Last fall, Nissan began offering free installation of headlight brackets in an attempt to make the xenon lights more difficult for thieves to remove, said John Schilling, a spokesman for Nissan North America. The company also offers to affix tracing "dots" to the lights to help authorities match them to specific vehicles, he said.
"These are steps that we believe will help deter criminals," Schilling said. Replacement of the headlights averages $1,800, he said, adding that their theft is particularly acute in New York City and North Jersey.
Police say Gonzalez was riding around in a Honda CRV with three other men and a teenager when Patrolmen Richard Klementovich and John Kavakich pulled them over at about 4:40 a.m. Saturday. The two officers were investigating the theft of headlights on Terrace Avenue and the CRV matched a witness's description, Detective Capt. Robert Rowan said.
During the stop, the officers saw a large screwdriver and a pair of dark gloves on the floor behind the driver's seat. After initially responding nervously to questions, the young men admitted to stealing the headlights, Rowan said. A later search of the Gonzalez family home turned up the additional lights, Rowan said.
"They had a whole team - there were drivers, lookouts, and workers," Rowan said. "They were using cellphones to communicate with each other if they saw anyone coming."
Reached at his home, Jose Gonzalez called his son's arrest "devastating" and described him as an athlete with decent grades and plans to go to college.
"My son is not a criminal," he said. "He got involved with some kids he shouldn't have. He had no intention of robbing anything."
Also arrested were Alejandro Mederos, 19, and Roberto Brito, 21, both of Union City; Armando Ruiz, 18, of Jersey City; and a 16-year-old juvenile from Union City. All the adults were charged with theft and conspiracy to commit theft, possession of stolen property, and possession of burglary tools, police said.
Police suspect the group is responsible for several other headlight thefts during the past two weeks, Rowan said. All were free Monday after posting bail of $25,000.
If you don't want to take the 4 seconds to put fake into in to enter the site, article is below:
Student charged in headlight thefts
Tuesday, March 23, 2004
By DOUGLASS CROUSE
STAFF WRITER
For one Clifton High School student, driving to and from classes presented an opportunity for study of another sort - casing parked cars for high-priced headlights that he and several others later removed and resold, police said Monday.
In recent years, the blue-tinted, high-intensity xenon lights have become popular with thieves in the metropolitan area, as Saturday's arrest of 18-year-old Jonathan Gonzalez and four Hudson County residents attests, police said.
Police said they found seven headlight assemblies in the Rutherford Boulevard home where Gonzalez lives with his parents. Authorities believe the group pried them from cars parked in lots and in front of homes over the past 10 days.
Most were taken from Nissan Maxima sedans manufactured in the last two years, police said.
Law enforcement officials say the high cost of the lights, combined with their relatively easy removal, make them attractive to thieves. Some are worth up to $1,000 each, but they fetch only about 10 percent to 15 percent of that on the street, authorities said.
Last fall, Nissan began offering free installation of headlight brackets in an attempt to make the xenon lights more difficult for thieves to remove, said John Schilling, a spokesman for Nissan North America. The company also offers to affix tracing "dots" to the lights to help authorities match them to specific vehicles, he said.
"These are steps that we believe will help deter criminals," Schilling said. Replacement of the headlights averages $1,800, he said, adding that their theft is particularly acute in New York City and North Jersey.
Police say Gonzalez was riding around in a Honda CRV with three other men and a teenager when Patrolmen Richard Klementovich and John Kavakich pulled them over at about 4:40 a.m. Saturday. The two officers were investigating the theft of headlights on Terrace Avenue and the CRV matched a witness's description, Detective Capt. Robert Rowan said.
During the stop, the officers saw a large screwdriver and a pair of dark gloves on the floor behind the driver's seat. After initially responding nervously to questions, the young men admitted to stealing the headlights, Rowan said. A later search of the Gonzalez family home turned up the additional lights, Rowan said.
"They had a whole team - there were drivers, lookouts, and workers," Rowan said. "They were using cellphones to communicate with each other if they saw anyone coming."
Reached at his home, Jose Gonzalez called his son's arrest "devastating" and described him as an athlete with decent grades and plans to go to college.
"My son is not a criminal," he said. "He got involved with some kids he shouldn't have. He had no intention of robbing anything."
Also arrested were Alejandro Mederos, 19, and Roberto Brito, 21, both of Union City; Armando Ruiz, 18, of Jersey City; and a 16-year-old juvenile from Union City. All the adults were charged with theft and conspiracy to commit theft, possession of stolen property, and possession of burglary tools, police said.
Police suspect the group is responsible for several other headlight thefts during the past two weeks, Rowan said. All were free Monday after posting bail of $25,000.
, so if it's a repost, let me know.
03-24-2004, 12:12 PM
#3
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i dont think this a repost, but good find, I live 20mins away from clifton and there are some parts that are pretty bad.
AND WOW only sold for 10-15% of cost, they should of sold drugs or something else with a higher profit to compensate for getting caught. IDIOTS (at least they thought the process through and had a lookouts ect)
"My son is not a criminal," he said. "He got involved with some kids he shouldn't have. He had no intention of robbing anything."
Too bad every parent would say this about their son
AND WOW only sold for 10-15% of cost, they should of sold drugs or something else with a higher profit to compensate for getting caught. IDIOTS (at least they thought the process through and had a lookouts ect)
"My son is not a criminal," he said. "He got involved with some kids he shouldn't have. He had no intention of robbing anything."
Too bad every parent would say this about their son
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03-24-2004, 12:52 PM
#11
Safety Car
"My son is not a criminal," he said. "He got involved with some kids he shouldn't have. He had no intention of robbing anything."
I agree, prisons are full of innocent people, just ask them:sqntfawk:
Dan
I agree, prisons are full of innocent people, just ask them:sqntfawk:
Dan
03-24-2004, 01:09 PM
#14
Originally posted by Dan
"My son is not a criminal," he said. "He got involved with some kids he shouldn't have. He had no intention of robbing anything."
I agree, prisons are full of innocent people, just ask them:sqntfawk:
Dan
"My son is not a criminal," he said. "He got involved with some kids he shouldn't have. He had no intention of robbing anything."
I agree, prisons are full of innocent people, just ask them:sqntfawk:
Dan
He didn't mean to steal it.. he slipped on 7 different cars and when he landed the lights fell out so he took their headlights and stored them in the garage.
lol.
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