Men broke into Meadowlands Plaza hotel room while guests were sleeping, police say

Secaucus police say armed men stormed into a hotel room at the Meadowlands Plaza Hotel in February, demanding money from sleeping guests:

July 1, 2024, 11:04 a.m. EDT | Update July 1, 2024 11:05 AM EDT

SECAUCUS, N.J. — Secaucus police say two gun-wielding men broke into a hotel room at the Meadowlands Plaza Hotel in February, claimed they were police and demanded money from sleeping hotel guests.

Police say they forced their way into one of the hotel rooms (they did not know the victims) at 4:22 a.m. on February 8 (a Thursday), pointed a gun at the people sleeping in the bed, said they were police officers and demanded money.

One victim claims the two men pulled out a handgun and threatened to “whip” the victims. The two men then fled with the victim’s money and some of her personal belongings.

Secaucus police were called to the scene for an armed robbery. After a five-month investigation, members of the Secaucus Police Department’s Detective Division and Crime Squad identified the suspects as Cristopher Molina Herrera, 30, and Rikelvin DeLeon Diaz, 33, both of Newark.

Secaucus police detectives arrested Molina Herrera at his workplace in Clifton on June 27. The next day, June 28, Secaucus police arrested Diaz at his workplace in Elizabeth.

Both arrests took place without incident.

“I am especially proud of the investigative work of my detectives who work tirelessly to solve these crimes committed by individuals who came to Secaucus solely to commit nefarious acts,” said Chief Dennis Miller. “The Secaucus Police Department is committed to exhausting all investigative avenues to achieve justice for any victim of a crime that occurred in Secaucus.”

Both men were charged with robbery (2C:15-1a(1)) and conspiracy to commit robbery (2C:5-2/2C:15-1a(1)). They remain in the Hudson County Jail.

Anyone with additional information about this incident is asked to call the Secaucus Police Detective Division at (201) 330-2052 or [email protected].