By Barbara A. Preston | Posted July 30, 2024
A Belle Mead resident's unlocked BMW was stolen on June 25 and later found in Paramus, leading to the arrest of a 23-year-old Newark man who allegedly stole other vehicles as well.
Paramus police arrested Dion Wiggins II, 23, of Newark after a high-speed chase on July 2. The chase began around 8:30 pm when Paramus police officers spotted a white BMW X4, reported stolen from Somerset County, heading northbound on Route 17 near Midland Avenue.
A registration check found that the BMW was stolen out of Montgomery Township, and was used in two separate motorcycle thefts.
"The police pursuit intensified as the BMW veered onto the southbound Garden State Parkway, ultimately crashing into the center divider," according to RLS Media. Wiggins, the driver, and two passengers, then fled into the woods.
Police captured Wiggins. Then a Bergen County Sheriff’s Department Officer and his K9, Sany, discovered an accomplice, 20-year-old Jaheim Jordan, hiding in a playground in Saddle River Park.
Montgomery police have charged Dion Wiggins II, 23, of Newark with stealing a Belle Mead resident's BMW. Wiggins was arrested in Paramus.
Authorities suspect Wiggins is part of a high-end burglary ring operating out of Monmouth County.
Wiggins faces charges of aggravated assault on a police officer and two counts of eluding. Jordan is charged with resisting arrest and joyriding.
They are currently held at the Bergen County Jail pending an appearances in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack.
Montgomery Township Lt. Jason Larsen told The Montgomery News that the unlocked BMW had been stolen on June 25 from a Belle Mead resident's driveway on Route 601. The victim returned home from dinner at 7:33 pm and discovered the 2022 BMW SUV was stolen from the driveway.
Montgomery police entered the vehicle into the National Crime Information Center, and it was later recovered by Paramus Police. Through a follow-up investigation, Montgomery police charged Wiggins, 23 with theft of a motor vehicle, third degree.
"Montgomery police would like to thank Paramus police and Millburn police for their assistance with this investigation," Larsen said.
Residents are reminded to always keep vehicles and residences locked at all times and remove keys and
personal belongings from vehicles whenever a vehicle will be unattended, Larsen said.
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According to an article in Patch, Wiggins was arrested Jan. 12, 2022 and charged with burglary, theft, and nine counts of conspiracy to commit theft by the Paramus Police Department.
The investigation began on September 7, 2021, at 4:33 am, when the Paramus Police Department was dispatched to the Jaguar Land Rover of Paramus located on Route 17 southbound.
Police officials said that upon arrival, an investigation revealed that unknown subject(s) had cut a lock on the security gate at the location. The suspects then broke into a locked key box at the location and then stole 10 Range Rover vehicles. During the course of a police investigation, the NJSP ATTF was able to recover eight of the 10 vehicles, which were located in New Jersey and the Bronx, NY. According to police officials, the total loss of the burglary and theft was in excess of $740,000.
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