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Three arrested as Leonia police officer stops iPhone ID scam

ANOTHER CVP EXCLUSIVE: An alert Leonia police officer stopped a trio of Bronx men before they could get out of town with several iPhones bought with bogus IDs, authorities said.

Photo Credit: Courtesy LEONIA PD

Officer Raymond Forsdahl was on patrol on Broad Avenue when he spotted a green Mitsubishi wagon with New York plates occupied by two of the men Friday afternoon, Capt. Scott Tamagny told CLIFFVIEW PILOT today.

As Forsdahl watched, the driver parked illegally in front of one business and then another before making a U-turn on Broad Avenue, Tamagny said.

Detectives headed to business district while the office stopped the car as it began leaving the area.

The driver, identified as Jose Pagan, 43 (above, left), didn’t have a license, the captain said.

The passenger, 30-year-old Christian Nunez (above, middle), had an outstanding warrant out of Woodbridge, he said.

“Their stories didn’t add up,” Tamagny said. “They said they were dropping off a friend for an interview but had not names or other information.”

Detective Michael Jenning and Sgt. Chris Garris got consent from Pagan and found paperwork with names and personal information for several people, the captain said.

Next to the names was written either “Verizon” or AT&T “depending on what acccounts those people had,” he said.

They also had a list of AT&T store locations in New Jersey.

At the same time, Sgt. Christopher Jones grabbed a third suspect — Ayodih Mota, 22 (above, right) — buying four iPhone 6 phones under one of the names on the sheet at the Verizon store on Broad Avenue, Tamagny said.

He was carrying a fake Pennsylvania license in his shoe as identification for the purchases, the captain said.

Pagan posted $2,500 bail at headquarters and was released.

Nunez was released from the Bergen County Jail on Saturday after posting $5,000 bail.

Mota posted $5,000 today and was released from the jail.

All three are charged with identity theft, attempted theft and possessing false dientifying documents.

MUGSHOTS: Courtesy LEONIA PD

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