Police Pursue Leads in Cedar Grove Burglary Investigation

Cedar Grove Police have recovered fingerprints and a glove from car believed to be involved in a Nov. 20 burglary of an Eileen Drive residence, officials said Thursday.

“They (police) located the vehicle and were able to get (finger)prints,” said Cedar Grove Township Manager Thomas Tucci during the Dec. 3 council meeting.

In addition to the fingerprints, police recovered a single glove from the site where the chase began. A matching glove was later found in the recovered vehicle, said Tucci.

“Hopefully there is some DNA in the glove,” he said. “Police are looking into leads of that case.”

Cedar Grove Police Chief Richard Vanderstreet said the incident began after an officer noticed an unoccupied Buick LaCross rental car parked on Eileen Drive around 6 p.m. on Nov. 20.

The officer returned to the car a short while later and said he saw three people inside.

When the officer attempted to stop the car, the driver sped off, heading south on Pompton Avenue and refusing to stop, leading police on a high-speed chase through Cedar Grove.

Officers were later ordered to discontinue the chase because of heavy traffic and the escaping driver’s dangerous maneuvers. The abandoned rental car was found near the George Washington Bridge in New York City the following morning.

“At the same time of the pursuit, police received a call of a burglar alarm going off in the vicinity of Eileen Drive,” said Vanderstreet. No one was home at the time of the burglary.

Councilman John Zunic reminded residents to be careful, especially during the holiday season.

“It's the holidays, people are out shopping and if you have an alarm, turn it on, lock the doors,” he said. “There are people out there looking to break into homes.”

 “The incident is still under investigation,” Vanderstreet said, adding, “We will continue residential patrols and we are asking residents for a heightened awareness and to report suspicious activity.”