Car Thief Escapes by Running Across the Turnpike

Police are looking for a man who ran out of his vehicle and across the NJ Turnpike Monday evening after he was seen stealing a Jeep from Rt. 18 Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge Ram dealership.

Police received a report at 9:39 p.m. Monday of a flatbed tow truck leaving the car dealership with a new Jeep. Patrolman Tom Cassidy and Patrolman Glen Tabasko spotted the vehicle at Route 18 and Edgeboro Road and attempted to pull the vehicle over.

Refusing to stop, the truck continued north and onto the NJ Turnpike, where it went through the toll plaza and onto the northbund ramp. The tow truck continued for a short distance onto the Turnpike and came to a stop in the left lane. The driver exited the vehicle, jumped over the guardrail and ran away across all the lanes of the Turnpike.

Members of the New Jersey State Police, New Jersey State Police K-9 Unit and the East Brunswick Police Department searched the area but couldn’t find the suspect.

The black Jeep was confirmed stolen from the Rt. 18 Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram dealership. The tow truck was reported stolen out of New York.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Detective Jason Haykel of the East Brunswick Police Department’s Investigative Division at 732-390-6990 or the East Brunswick Police Department’s Confidential Tip Line at 732-4EBTIPS (732-432-8477).