Montville Cop Stops Pair Wanted in Theft of Benz

A officer stopped a van on Route 46 on Saturday night that was wanted in connection with the theft of an off-duty Essex County Sheriff's Officer's Mercedes Benz, according to Fairfield police.

Fairfield police responded to the Montville traffic stop and charged the van's occupants, Shakir Curry, 24, of Newark and Esua Kearney, 36, of East Orange with theft, conspiracy to commit theft and eluding police, a Fairfield police news release said.

Curry also was charged with obstruction of justice after allegedly giving police a fake name, authorities said.

Montville police were looking for the van after it reportedly was seen near the scene of the car theft, which occurred at a TD Bank at Hollywood Avenue and Fairfield Road in Fairfield around 10 p.m. Saturday, police said.

An off-duty Essex County Sheriff’s officer pulled his 2010 Mercedes Benz up to the bank entrance to use an ATM machine in the lobby. As he entered the lobby, he saw a green 2003 Ford van suddenly stop on Hollywood Avenue and pull into a strip mall across the street from the bank. He then saw a man exit the van and walk toward the bank, police said.

After completing his transaction, the officer saw the man was in his vehicle. The officer identified himself as a law enforcement officer and attempted to detain the suspect, but the suspect fled in the Mercedes toward Route 46, police said. The officer immediately called Fairfield police on his cell phone and then attempted to detain the two occupants of the van, indentifying himself as a police officer. Although he was able to stop them for a brief period, the van fled, the news release said.

Totowa police reported seeing the stolen Mercedes Benz traveling east on Route 46 and attempted to stop it, but the driver eluded them. Around the same time, a Montville police officer saw the green van traveling west on Route 46 and stopped it. The occupants, Curry and Kearney, were arrested without incident, according to police.

Electronic fingerprint submissions to Federal Bureau of Investigation confirmed Curry's identity and indicated he was wanted by the FBI's Newark Field Office, police said. Both suspects were held on $50,000 bail and taken to the Essex County jail, authorities said.

Fairfield police are trying to recover the stolen Mercedes Benz and learn the identity of the third suspect who drove it away. Anyone with information can call Fairfield police at 973-227-1400.