Municipal garage employee arrested in connection with stolen transponder
 
May 24, 2010, Jersey Journal

A 22-year-old employee of the Hoboken municipal garage was arrested on Friday in connection with the theft of a police transponder from back in January 2009, according to police reports.

On Friday, police concluded that a plastic encoded transponder and a GPS SIM card, both owned by the City of Hoboken, was initially stolen by Terry McDonald, a mechanic at the Hoboken municipal garage, 256 Observer Highway, reports said.

Police generated a warrant complaint against Terry McDonald charging him with burglary, theft and theft of services, reports said.

When he was arrested at the garage, McDonald told police he used the transponder a few times and then gave it to his uncle, who later said it was stolen, reports said. His uncle, a 35-year-old Jersey City man, was found in possession of the SIM card, reports said. Police said further investigation will be conducted of the uncle’s involvement.

On March 21, police observed a customer at Garage B, 63 Second St., having trouble using a pre-paid monthly customer garage transponder device, reports said.

Michael Dozzollini, a 28-year-old Hasbrouck Heights man, was seen in possession of a transponder, which had a “116” black ink marking, reports said. Police noted that that police marking is used for official Hoboken Police cars, reports said. It was then revealed that the device was the property of the Hoboken Parking Utility. Without the transponder, he would have incurred a $30 parking fee.

Dozzollini told police he got the transponder from his friend but later changed his story to his finding the device in the street, reports said.

A computer database check revealed that the transponder had been used 100 times from February 2009 on, reports said. Dozzollini was then arrested and charged with theft of property, police said.

The stolen transponder was assigned to the Hoboken Police marked radio car belonging to Vince Lombardi, police detective and president of the Hoboken Policemen's Benevolent Association, reports said.

According to Dozzollini, his friend, a 27-year-old Englewood man, gave the transponder to him in March, reports said.

Police said both arrests have been cleared.

The city's Parking and Transportation Department completed an audit in January of all active municipal parking garage transponders. About 160 active devices that were not associated with a city vehicle were then disabled, the mayor's office said.