Atlantic City, NJ: Six Teens Charged in Two Separate Carjackings

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ — Six teenagers, aged between 14 and 17, have been charged in connection with two separate carjackings that occurred in Atlantic City just a few weeks apart, according to the local police department’s statement on Monday.

The First Carjacking Incident

The first incident took place on November 29 when police responded to a carjacking report on the beach block of South Raleigh Avenue at approximately 9 p.m.

According to police, a 68-year-old man from Atlantic City was assaulted by a group of teenagers who forcefully stole his car. The victim was immediately taken to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, City Division, where he received treatment for non-life-threatening injuries.

The following day, the stolen vehicle was discovered by Pleasantville police. Authorities determined that two teenagers, who had been reported as runaways by their families, were the prime suspects in the case. These two individuals were subsequently taken into custody. As the investigation progressed, three additional suspects were apprehended, leading to a total of five arrests.

The Second Carjacking Incident

On December 16, two of the individuals involved in the first carjacking were arrested following a second carjacking incident that occurred at the Ocean Casino Resort, as confirmed by the Atlantic City Police Department.

Shortly before 11 p.m., police were dispatched to the casino’s parking garage where a 72-year-old man from Brick had been forcibly pulled out of his vehicle by three male assailants. The perpetrators made off with the stolen car, while fortunately, the victim remained unharmed.

Thanks to the cooperation of the casino’s security personnel, surveillance footage was provided to the police. Utilizing the footage, law enforcement officers were able to locate the stolen vehicle shortly thereafter. A pursuit ensued as the driver attempted to evade the authorities, but it was ultimately called off due to safety concerns for the general public.

At approximately 12:25 a.m., the stolen car was recovered on the 700 block of Arctic Avenue.

Officers Moustafa Maarouf and Jennifer Sanchez, who were on duty in the vicinity, spotted three males in the area matching the suspects’ descriptions. The individuals were promptly identified and taken into custody.

Charges and Detention

In relation to the first carjacking incident on Raleigh Avenue, two 14-year-olds, two 15-year-olds, a 16-year-old, and a 17-year-old are facing charges of carjacking, robbery, aggravated assault, and theft.

Regarding the carjacking at the Ocean Casino Resort, a 16-year-old as well as the previously mentioned 16-year-old and 17-year-old from the initial incident have been charged with carjacking, robbery, and eluding.

All of the teenagers have been transported to the Essex County Juvenile Detention Center.

Contact Information for Witnesses

Atlantic City Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Unit is urging anyone with information related to these incidents to come forward. Witnesses can contact the unit at 609-347-5766 or submit an anonymous text message to tip411 (847411), initiating the text with “ACPD”.