BLOOMINGDALE, NJ — A mechanic shop employee was arrested and charged with stealing a customer’s vehicle and selling it to a scrap yard, according to Bloomingdale police.
Maribel Pena-Matos, 49, of Paterson, was arrested Feb. 16, 2026, and charged with theft of a motor vehicle and impersonation.
Police began investigating in January after receiving a report of a missing vehicle at an auto repair shop.
The complainant told Sgt. Graziosa and Ptl. Borell that their vehicle had been dropped off for repairs several months earlier and they had been unable to retrieve it despite repeated attempts.
Det. Moore assisted with the investigation, which determined the vehicle had been sold to a private company that subsequently had it crushed and scrapped.
Police said Pena-Matos allegedly impersonated the vehicle’s owner and unlawfully sold the vehicle to a scrap yard for monetary gain.
Officers confirmed with the scrap yard that the vehicle had already been crushed and transferred to an out-of-state facility.
Pena-Matos was processed and released pending a court hearing in Passaic County Superior Court.
