New Jersey Man Arrested Following Fake Carjacking Claim

By Alicia Cruz
The New Jersey Newsroom

A Belleville man who told Newark police he was the victim of a carjacking on the ramp to Interstate 280 near First Street is facing criminal charges this week after police learned he lied.

Newark Police Director Samuel DeMaio said Emanuel Alvarado was charged with filing a false police report after officers learned his 2006 BMW 325i had not been stolen, but towed by New Jersey State Police following a minor one-car accident in the westbound lane of I-280.

“When we receive calls for service, we take a great deal of care to provide our constituents with the very best police services available," said DeMaio. "We take such actions extremely serious and subsequently. This is something that the department will not tolerate and will pursue any violators zealously."

When interviewed by Homicide Task Force investigators about the September 17 carjacking, the 26-year-old man recanted his statement.