Port Authority and local police helped stop a terrifying drive for a 26-year-old woman who was allegedly kidnapped by her boyfriend in New York City and taken through the Holland Tunnel into New Jersey.
The woman’s mother allegedly called police on Wednesday, stating that her daughter had been kidnapped and was heading through the Holland Tunnel in a gray Nissan Altima, said Port Authority Police Lt. Joe Macaluso.
The victim was also able to call her mother and stay on the phone while the boyfriend, Freddy Pulla, 25 of Queens, allegedly assaulted her and tried to grab the phone as he drove.
Macaluso took off in pursuit as the victim told her mother cross streets. He also contacted the State Police emergency network, passing the information to local police departments.
Jersey City Police were notified that the car was on Route 440 South, but the vehicle turned around and headed north on Tonnelle Avenue in North Bergen.
North Bergen Police cut off the Nissan with their cruiser, causing it to come to a stop just north of Secaucus Road.
The victim, who said she was trying to break up with Pulla, told her they were supposed to head to a friend’s house before he allegedly locked the doors and took off for New Jersey.
Pulla allegedly tried to flee but was arrested and taken to the Port Authority police station at the Holland Tunnel.
He was charged with kidnapping, criminal restraint, domestic violence and assault.
Liquor store robbed at gunpoint
On March 21 at approximately 9:10 p.m., two men wearing stockings over their faces entered Boulevard Wines and Liquors, located at 9236 Kennedy Blvd., and robbed the store at gunpoint.
Cannella said that the owners of the store reported that two males entered the store, one pointing a semiautomatic pistol at the three employees, and ordered them to empty their pockets and get on the floor.
Around $500 was taken from the cash register, along with a 12-pack of Corona and several bottles of liquor equaling $125.
The robbers then jumped into a new minivan with New York state license plates.
None of the victims were seriously injured.
Cannella said that police were currently reviewing several angles of video tape and had also contacted the New Jersey State Police Sketch Unit, which should shortly have a sketch available of two suspects.
Anyone with more information should call the police at (201) 392-2100.
Phony check caught
According to commander of the North Bergen Detective Bureau Lt. Frank Cannella, on March 29 at 11:50 a.m., Nia Dockery, 21, of Irvington allegedly entered the TD Bank at 7815 Kennedy Blvd. and tried to cash a fraudulent check.
The check was for $1,975. TD Bank officials told police that there had been two other attempts to cash checks from the same firm in Maywood, N.J. and Maine.
When bank employees tried to detain Dockery, she allegedly fled the bank but was arrested moments later on 79th Street.
Dockery was charged with one count of bad checks and released on her own recognizance by Judge Joseph Romano, said Cannella.
Is this your GPS?
According to Cannella, on March 26 at around 1 a.m., police patrolling the area of 75th Street and Kennedy Boulevard observed an individual later identified as Mark Benivides, 20, of North Bergen allegedly opening the doors of vehicles.
Benivides was allegedly checking the door of a 1997 Jeep Cherokee when police ordered him to stop, but he allegedly continued to walk ignoring the police officers orders.
When he eventually stopped, police believed him to be under the influence of alcohol. They found within his posession a corkscrew and a Nuvi 750 GPS navigator.
The GPS had a home address listed in West New York, but no one was present to claim the device, so it remains in the North Bergen Police evidence room.
Benivides was charged with attempted burglary.