Auto Theft Charges Filed Against Teen Jailed for Robbery of Ridgewood Teen

Legal problems are continuing to mount for a in July.

Wyckoff police say a persistent year-long investigation has connected 20-year-old township resident Daniel Chaupiz to a Jeep stolen last September.

According to Wyckoff police, an "extensive investigation" revealed that Chaupiz, of Crescent Avenue, in 2011 stole a Harvey Court resident's Jeep several days before it was reported stolen. 

Detective Sgt. Joseph Soto, working in cooperation with the New Jersey State Police, used state officials' computer records to find that the Jeep had been stopped by the State Police on Route 80 for careless driving on Sept. 3, 2011, two days before the vehicle was reported stolen.

Records and video evidence showed that the driver of the vehicle was Daniel Chaupiz, Wyckoff police claim.

The vehicle was recovered some time later after it was found abandoned in Sussex County, Wyckoff Police Chief Benjamin Fox said. Soto made the arrest on Aug. 29, according to Fox.

Chaupiz was charged by state police with possession of stolen property.

He was served with the complaint while in jail for his alleged involvement in the disturbing beating of a 19-year-old Ridgewood man in July.

Wyckoff police claim Chaupiz's girlfriend, , lured the Ridgewood teen, her former boyfriend, to a Wyckoff school yard where Chaupiz and beat him with bats and pipes.

The four are facing armed robbery charges for the alleged incident.

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