A 39-year-old Maplewood man is facing multiple charges after authorities say he stole a $500,000 NJ Transit Police armored BearCat vehicle from the agency’s Emergency Service Unit headquarters in Newark and drove it through Essex and Hudson counties during a two-hour joyride.
According to investigators, the suspect entered the secured NJ Transit facility in the early morning hours of July 14, got behind the wheel of the armored vehicle, and crashed through a police truck, a K-9 kennel fence, and a garage door while exiting, causing an estimated $13,000 in damage.
The stolen BearCat was tracked by GPS before being abandoned in Irvington. When police arrested the suspect two days later, they allegedly recovered equipment taken from the vehicle, along with heroin, a stun gun, prescription medication, and drug paraphernalia during a search of his home.
The suspect now faces 14 charges, including motor vehicle theft, burglary, criminal mischief, joyriding, theft, drug possession, and weapons offenses. Authorities said no one was injured during the incident. He remains held at the Essex County Jail pending court proceedings.
Did they send a SWAT team after him?:) At least we now know how strong the vehicle is!