A 13-year-old Newark teen has been charged in connection to a carjacking incident in Cranford last year.
Police say the incident happened on Sept. 23 just before 9:30 p.m. Officers were called to the 300 block of East North Avenue in Cranford for reports of a car theft.
Police say the victim was putting air in their car tires when the 13-year-old got into the car and tried to drive off. The victim and the teen got into a physical altercation, but police say a second suspect showed up and threatened the victim.
The 13-year-old allegedly drove off in the victim’s car while the second suspect left in a stolen Porsche.
Police were eventually able to identify the teen – whose name was not released due to their age. The teen was charged with first-degree carjacking and is being held at the juvenile detention center in Essex County.
The Cranford police chief is warning residents to remain vigilant and to be “aware of their surroundings as motor vehicle crimes have become increasingly violent, despite the offenders' age.”