By: Richard L. Smith
Police arrested a North Carolina man early Monday morning after officers discovered him inside a stolen vehicle parked outside a local electronics store.
According to Wayne Police, the incident unfolded on September 9, 2025, at approximately 1:12 a.m., when Officer Nicole Mott noticed a Genesis G70 parked at the PC Richards store.
The vehicle had not been in the lot earlier in the evening when the business was open.
As Officer Mott investigated, her patrol car’s automatic license plate reader alerted her that the car was listed as stolen out of Virginia Beach, Virginia.
She called for backup, and Officers Steven Martell and Maciej Wesolowski responded to assist.
Wayne Police Headquarters confirmed the vehicle’s stolen status. When officers approached, they found a man inside the car.
He was ordered out and placed under arrest.
A search of the vehicle turned up a large quantity of jewelry and a credit card that did not belong to the suspect.
Authorities said the man admitted to taking the car after finding it running, and also to attempting to use the stolen credit card.
The suspect, identified as Ricardo D. Cousins, 31, of Elizabeth City, North Carolina, was charged with theft of a motor vehicle, receiving stolen property, and credit card fraud.
Police also discovered that Cousins had multiple active arrest warrants out of Atlantic County, Atlantic City, and Parsippany.
He was later transported to the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office Jail Intake Hub.