Dugleidy Gonzalez-Riera, 28, Yefferson Prieto-Galviz, 23, and Morelis Blanco-Cineros, 41, who work at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City, are currently in custody at the Passaic County Jail. They are facing charges related to theft and drug offenses, according to Wayne Detective Capt. Dan Daly.
Around 3:35 p.m. on Valentine’s Day, trouble arose when Wayne Officers Harrison Kirby and David Talerico noticed a Toyota sedan tailgating another vehicle, with an occupant inside who was not wearing a seatbelt, according to Daly.
The Toyota was pulled over by the officers, who soon discovered that none of the people inside could speak English or provide any form of identification, according to Daly. Additionally, the license plate on the vehicle did not match its registration, the captain added.
Officer Beltran quickly arrived at the scene, providing much-needed backup. Additionally, a translator from William Paterson University also responded to assist in communication.
During their investigation, the police discovered drug paraphernalia, as well as various pieces of clothing and perfume with store tags still intact, inside the vehicle. It was evident to them that these items were sourced from the Ulta Beauty store, which has unfortunately become a repeated target for theft.
Ulta Beauty was contacted by Beltran, who received confirmation from an employee that items similar to those found in the vehicle had been stolen from the store within the past two hours.
According to a statement released by Daly, the store was able to provide images of the suspects involved in the theft. It was evident to the officers present at the scene that the individuals in the vehicle were indeed the suspects. Subsequently, the vehicle occupants were arrested.
During the search, authorities discovered ecstasy, drug paraphernalia, and a substantial amount of stolen merchandise. The stolen items included clothing, shoes, and perfumes from popular retailers such as Ulta, Kohl’s, JC Penney, and Macy’s. The total value of the stolen goods exceeded $5,300, according to Daly.
According to Daly, during the processing, it was discovered that the trio had provided officers with false identities. As a result, all three individuals were charged on complaint warrants, as there was a belief that they posed a danger to the community.
All three individuals are currently being held at the Passaic County Jail while they await their detention hearings.