2 men face dozens of charges in Clifton car airbag heist
Lead investigators determined two suspects were operating together
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Two men face dozens of felony charges following a massive overnight crime spree targeting vehicle airbags across Clifton.
The investigation began on June 23, when police received numerous reports of vehicle break-ins. Most of the vehicles were Hondas and Acuras, with thieves damaging door locks or smashing windows to steal driver-side airbags—parts that cost between $1,000 and $1,500 each to replace.
Lead investigators determined two suspects were operating together: one driving a white Acura MDX—which had been reported stolen in Clifton that same night—and another on foot entering the vehicles.
Detectives linked the stolen Acura to a white Honda CRV registered in Paterson.
On July 1, Paterson police intercepted the CRV. This led Clifton detectives to identify 27-year-old Antony Arlequin-Salcedo, of Paterson, who matched surveillance footage of the suspect.
Inside the vehicle, officers recovered a car reprogramming device, numerous key blanks and ski masks.
Arlequin-Salcedo was arrested at the scene for the Acura theft. As the investigation progressed, detectives identified his accomplice as 27-year-old Mario Polanco, of The Bronx.
Electronic search warrants yielded key evidence linking both men to the stolen vehicle and 39 individual vehicle burglaries.
Both men are charged with motor vehicle theft, along with numerous counts of burglary and theft.
Arlequin-Salcedo was recently apprehended by the NYPD in The Bronx and is awaiting extradition to New Jersey.
Polanco remains at large with an active warrant for his arrest.
Anyone with information on Polanco's whereabouts is urged to contact Clifton police detectives at 973-470-5908.
