Busted!

SPARTA — the 13th was not a lucky day for three members of the notorious ‘James Bond Gang’ burglary ring when they were arrested in Sparta right after they allegedly struck another high-end home.

But for the Sparta Police Department, luck had nothing to do with capturing the suspected crooks. The high profile collar for the Sparta department was due to the strategic placement of patrol cars as a result of intelligence gathering and cooperation between multiple law enforcement departments from New York and New Jersey.

Second time around
This was the second time in two years the SPD nabbed members of this persistent and prolific ring of thieves, nick-named the ‘James Bond Gang’ because their methods mimicked those of a slick and organized ring that worked across New York and Bergen County some 30 years ago, targeting high-end homes and getting away in a souped-up luxury car, reminiscent of James Bond movies. Sparta’s first arrest was in August, 2011 when four members of the gang were caught, including Jerry Montgomery, who was arrested again in Sparta last week.

But in 2011 as well as last week, it was the sharing of intelligence. Due to similar burglaries across the region, law enforcement agencies joined forces and have been working for two years as part of the Bergen County Multi-jurisdictional Task Force. Headed by Lt. Christopher Stefanacci of the Bergen County Prosecutors Office, the goal of the task force is for law enforcement to share updated intelligence along with man power to assist each other in tracking and catching culprits from the James Bond gang.

Caught!
Last Wednesday around 6 p.m., task force officials contacted Sparta Detective Terrence Mulligan to say alleged members of the James Bond Gang were driving a 2012 Chrysler mini-van with Michigan license plates and were headed to the west side of Sparta. Mulligan was told that multiple task force members were already rolling to Sparta to assist.

Sparta patrols were deployed to west side neighborhoods and around 7:40 p.m., Officer Joseph Pensado and Det. Keith Hannam noticed fresh footprints in the snow leading up to a home on Greenfield Hill that appeared unoccupied. The officers investigated and reported the front door had been forced open and several rooms were ransacked.

Meanwhile, Sgt. Jeffery Mase was positioned on Graphic Blvd. and saw the suspects’ mini-van pass as it turned on to West Mountain Rd. Mase followed the van as it turned on to Radcliff Dr. and called for backup as he prepared to stop the vehicle.

Sparta Public Information Officer Sgt. John Paul Beebe, who was also on the scene, said it appeared as if the van was going to try to escape and made a U-turn on Radcliffe Dr. attempting to drive past Mace, who blocked the van with his car. Two other Sparta patrols arrived and boxed the van in.

Beebe said the three men were surprised to see 25 to 30 more police cars from towns all over Northwest New Jersey roll onto the scene and surround them. “The looks on their faces were priceless. It was as if a law enforcement convention was gathering on Radcliff Dr. and they were the guests of honor.”

Arrested at the scene were Englewood resident Leevan Lawrence, 30, Courry Rice, 29 of Hackensack, and the alleged reputed leader of the James Bond Gang, Jerry Montgomery, 31.

Task force members recovered a tan pillow case discarded by the suspects containing jewelry stolen from the Greenfield Hill home. Beebe said it appeared the three were casing the neighborhood looking for another home to target when their plans were foiled.

The three suspects were charged with burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary and theft of movable property. Montgomery was also charged with resisting arrest.

Lawrence’s bail was set at $100,000 with no 10 percent option, which he paid this week. Rice’s bail is $200,000 with no ten percent option, and Montgomery, who was free on $100,000 bail from his 2011 Sparta arrest, had that bail revoked and additional bail set at $500,000, also with no ten percent option. Rice and Montgomery remain lodged in Sussex County Jail.

Members of the task force that assisted at the scene included officers and detectives from New Jersey towns of Teaneck, Ramsey, Englewood, Englewood Cliffs, River Edge, Mahwah, Paramus, and Harrison, New York. Detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutors Office, the Sussex County Prosecutors Office, and the Sussex County Sherriff’s Department were also on the scene.

What does the Bond Gang do?
The burglars are organized and almost predictable in their methods, but skilled at getting in and out of homes before police arrive. They target homes in daylight or just around dusk when they are certain owners are not home. Beebe said they don’t want to encounter home owners because if apprehended, the charge would be robbery which carries stiffer penalties than burglary. They often break down the front doors, disable alarms, and head straight for the master bedrooms where they grab a pillow case and fill it with jewelry and cash.

Why are they called the ‘James Bond Gang’?

The original James Bond Gang was active in the 80s and 90s and was given their moniker because of a tricked-out red BMW often used as a getaway car.

The car was equipped with 007 movie-style features to help elude police, such as a license plate that swung down revealing bright halogen lights, jets near the tail pipe that could spew oil creating a slippery mess for vehicles in pursuit, and even a secret compartment under the dashboard to stash stolen goods. The burglars netted millions in stolen cash and jewelry over two decades before finally being incarcerated with lengthy sentences.

The new version of the James Bond Gang is less sophisticated and has no tricky red Beamer, but they rent luxury cars or SUVs to blend in with the high-end neighborhoods they target. Police believe they have many members and are continually on the prowl.

Sparta homes first hit in 2011
In March of 2011, Sparta joined the task force when three break-ins in town were suspected to be the work of the James Bond Gang.

But after an attempted burglary became a home invasion, the police held a press conference to warn citizens to be vigilant and asked for tips.

Beebe said the press conference paid off because the department got 100 calls the next day with tips and suspicious sightings. Even though most didn’t pan out, Beebe said, one caller provided the license plate number of a vehicle seen trolling a particular neighborhood. Sparta detectives shared the plate number with the task force, who matched the vehicle to sightings in several other towns where burglaries occurred. The vehicle was traced to a car rental car operation in Teaneck and the suspects were identified.

Within two weeks of the March, 2011 home invasion, Sparta police knew who the perpetrators were and each patrol car carried full information packets with photos of the suspects. Then they waited and watched.

The 2011 arrest
In August 2011, James Bond gang members decided to visit Sparta again. But this time they were immediately recognized by Cpl. William Moyle during a routine traffic stop that led to a high speed chase through town. The chase ended in the roll-over crash and the arrest of four suspects when over $20,000 in jewelry and valuables were found in the SUV. The loot was matched to two burglaries that had taken place that evening, one in Jefferson and one in Sparta.

One of those arrested in 2011 was Montgomery, who was out on bail after several previous arrests for similar burglaries in Somerset County and Orange County, New York. He was held in Sussex County, but was soon out on bail, plying his trade across several counties, with more arrests and more bail until he was arrested again in Sparta last week.

Intel is key
Beebe said in the James Bond Gang arrests, the SPD relied heavily on shared intelligence. He said, “Intelligence gathering is the single most important part of police work.”

Police Chief Ernie Reigstadt said that intelligence is as important for small communities and local law enforcement as it is for large agencies like the CIA or the FBI. “Most people don’t realize how important intelligence gathering is, even at the local level.”

Intelligence can take the form of physical or cyber surveillance, undercover work, stake-outs, stings, informants, and even old-fashioned, dogged digging and research. For suburban police departments, Reigstadt said, intelligence gathering also takes place as officers network with and get to know the community, or even make routine traffic stops. This takes time, Reigstadt said, and sometimes has to take a back seat to fulfilling their core mission which is to respond to calls, since public safety is their primary function.

How can the James Bond Gang be stopped?

Beebe said this group is not really a gang, but an organized criminal enterprise with a structure and a hierarchy. He said no matter who or how many get arrested, “This enterprise is still intact and still active and very proficient at what they do.” He said home owners must remain vigilant and must be pro-active in protecting their homes. He added that the community should continue to be on the lookout for suspicious characters or activity in their neighborhoods and continue to call police to report what they see. He said the slogan, “If you see something, say something” applies everywhere.

Beebe also said these crimes must be classified as second degree rather than third degree crimes. Second degree crimes carry the presumption of incarceration for up to ten years. He said a family’s home is sacred, no matter whether it is considered high-end or not. “A person’s home is their castle. To break down the door and invade their privacy and ransack their home, it’s just too much. It has to stop,” Beebe added.

But, Beebe said until every member of the gang is caught and jailed for a long time, they won’t stop breaking into homes.