NJ cops stop SUV with ‘alarming’ number of stolen credit cards, IDs

MAYWOOD — Police stopped a potential holiday shopping spree when they found an "alarming" number of stolen credit cards and fake IDs when officers stopped a driver who said she was headed to the Garden State Plaza shopping mall.

The Subaru Forester was stopped when driver Karina Espinal, 26, of Newark made an illegal turn at Maywood Avenue and Essex Street in Maywood on Wednesday, according to Maywood police.

When Espinal was asked to produce ID she showed the officer a picture of a Connecticut driver's license on her phone.

SUV was stolen

The officer determined the SUV didn't belong to her and the license was also someone else's. A second physical New Jersey license with Espinal's picture was found inside the SUV but the information was for someone else.

Passengers Tyshawn Stevens, 26, and Christopher Godwin, 43, both from The Bronx, also produced fake IDs, according to police.

Backyard chase

While Espinal was being taken into custody, Stevens ran off and was chased through several backyards. He had a drug offense warrant from Bergen County and was charged with obstruction.

All three were taken into custody on charges related to ID theft and false documents.

Espinal and Godwin, who already had arrest records, were released while Stevens was being held at the Bergen County Jail.

Dan Alexander is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com

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