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Responding Officers Nick Luciano, Anthony Mordaga and Ryan Hayo found the back window of the vacant store broken and 35-year-old Kelvyn Sanchez-Pena of the Bronx "attempting to hide in the ceiling panels" just before 2 a.m. yesterday, Sept. 23, Police Chief Kenneth Ehrenberg said tonight.
Sanchez-Pena "was taken into custody after a brief struggle with officers as he attempted to escape," the chief said.
They discovered that the burglars had triggered a silent alarm by cutting through the wall before opening several safes.
River Edge police and a Bergen County Sheriff’s K-9 Unit converged on the area and discovered that two accomplices had fled, Ehrenberg said.
Scouring a large wooden tract and residential area that stretched north to Van Saun County Park, they found the burglary proceeds in several bags, as well as a pair of ski masks, he said.
They also found the getaway vehicle, a 2004 Dodge Caravan, parked at the end of Frisch Court, the chief said.
Using the evidence, Detective Sgt. Frank Scott, Detectives Dmitry Mazur and Tom Schroeder and Officer Diego Cruz identified a second suspect, 47-year-old Edwin Cardenas of Yonkers, he said.
They tracked him to a motel room in the Bronx, but Cardenas had fled, Ehrenberg said.
Around 10 o'clock last night they captured him at a Yonkers apartment.
Sanchez-Pena was being held on $25,000 bail in the Bergen County Jail, charged with burglary, theft, resisting arrest and possession of burglary tools.
Cardenas was being held in Westchester County pending extradition to New Jersey to face burglary and theft charges.
Meanwhile, the third suspect was being sought tonight, Ehrenberg said.
Anyone with information that could help detectives find him is asked to call Paramus police: (201) 262-3400.
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