Wayne Police Lie in Wait and Nab Porch Pirates Attempting to Steal Shipped Cell Phones

WAYNE, NJ – Two men were arrested on Friday afternoon for Attempted Theft (among several other charges) when they were caught red-handed trying to steal shipped cell phones off the porch of a home on Laurel Drive in Wayne Township. Weeks earlier, the homeowner reportedly had a shipment of cell phones stolen from his porch “as soon as they had been delivered,” so this time he called in Wayne’s Finest.

This is based on a statement released by the Wayne Police Department Public Information Officer, Detective Captain Dan Daly.

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The homeowner had been tracking this second shipment of cell phones through the delivery company’s software and called police when he saw “multiple vehicles containing young men that he did not recognize” cruising past his house as the scheduled delivery time approached. So he called Wayne Police and they came in and lay in wait to see what would happen when the cell phones were delivered.

“The Wayne Police Detective Bureau responded and conducted surveillance in the area and uniformed members of the Wayne Police Patrol Division waited in a nearby neighborhood,” explained Daly. “Detective Lieutenant Vincent Ricciardelli placed himself inside the target residence.”

In an unmarked vehicle, Detective Jon Donado, sat idling nearby and alerted the team to the approaching delivery truck. He watched the driver place two packages on the front step and drive off.

“Within minutes, a vehicle stopped in front of the home and the passenger exited while the driver waited in the car with the engine running,” said Daly. “The passenger approached the packages on the porch…”

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That was when Ricciardelli snatched open the front door, startling the would-be thief and quickly had him in custody.

The car on the street was just as quickly surrounded by Wayne Police Detectives with Detective Captain Daly personally arresting the driver. Some of the detectives went after another “suspicious vehicle” in the neighborhood, and the driver tried to slip his cuffs and “maneuver himself for a possible escape.” But Daly was alert and held the suspect “physically” against the man’s car.

Steven Ariel Fong (23) and Waldy Perez-Rivas (20), both of Newark, NJ, were arrested and both were charged with: Attempted Theft, Conspiracy to Commit Theft, Receiving Stolen Property, Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, Possession of a Weapon for Unlawful Purpose and Possession of a Large Capacity Ammunition Magazine.

Waldy Perez-Rivas was additionally charged with Obstructing a Governmental Function.

What police reported as evidence was that the map software on the driver’s cell phone pointed them to that address on Laurel Drive, and another “boxed package” was on the back seat which turned out to have been stolen the day before from a different Wayne Township address.

Detectives also discovered a loaded 15-round Ruger .380 caliber handgun in the suspects’ car.

Both suspects were charged on warrants and transported to the Passaic County Jail pending detention hearings.

“The charges against both suspects are merely accusations and they are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law,” said Daly in conclusion.

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