By: Richard L. Smith
A multi-agency investigation and police chase ended Friday in Newark with the arrest of two men accused of carrying out a string of dangerous home burglaries that stretched from Kearny to Union, according to a statement from Kearny Police officials.
Authorities said the crime spree began in the early morning hours of October 17, when suspects forced their way into two occupied homes in Kearny.
From one residence, the burglars stole a 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG, which investigators say was later used in an attempted break-in at a home in Union, NJ.
Kearny detectives, using tracking technology, located the stolen Mercedes in Newark.
But when they tried to monitor it, the driver sped off, sparking a pursuit that quickly escalated into a large-scale, multi-agency chase.
The pursuit came to a violent end when the vehicle crashed at the intersection of 14th Avenue and Speedway Avenue in Newark.
Both occupants ran from the wreck but were quickly captured with the assistance of Newark Police, the New Jersey State Police, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, Union Police, and Homeland Security Investigations.
The suspects, identified as Faruq K. Esannason, 20, of Avenel, and Zymeir S. Gilmer, 22, of Newark, were taken into custody.
Police recovered a loaded handgun with a high-capacity magazine and proceeds from at least one of the burglaries inside the stolen vehicle.
The case remains under investigation, with charges expected from multiple agencies.
Kearny Police Chief Scott Macfie praised the teamwork of the departments involved, saying their efforts led to the swift capture of two dangerous suspects and the recovery of a deadly firearm.
“If criminals victimize our residents, we will use all available resources and efforts to capture them and bring them to justice,” Chief Macfie said.