Arrest Cracks $160,000 Cheese Products Theft From Moonachie Plant

MOONACHIE, N.J. – Authorities cracked the late-night theft of $160,000 worth of cheese products from a Moonachie plant with the arrest of an 18-year-old truck driver from Paterson.

Darluis J. Ortiz
Photo Credit: *MUGSHOT: Courtesy BERGEN COUNTY PROSECUTOR*

Jerry DeMarco

10/13/2016 4:22 p.m.

Darluis J. Ortiz of 27th Street was one of several burglars who broke into Grace Kennedy Foods – which does business as “La Fe Foods” – around 11:30 p.m. Sept. 23, Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal said Thursday afternoon.

The thieves made off with several pallets of Tastee Cheese brand products from a storage area in the plant, he said.

The joint investigation by members of Grewal’s Special Investigations Squad and Moonachie police was continuing, the prosecutor said.

Ortiz, meanwhile, was arraigned Thursday afternoon in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack and remained held on $150,000 bail in the Bergen County Jail, charged with burglary, conspiracy and possession of burglary tools.

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