Two women — including one from Kearny — decided to take a ride into Lyndhurst while driving around in a stolen vehicle. And if you’re a regular reader of this newspaper, you already know it didn’t end well for both women.
According to Capt. Paul Haggerty, the Lyndhurst Police Department’s public-information officer:
On Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025 at approximately 3:30 p.m., Lyndhurst patrol units were advised by a fixed Automated License Plate Reader hit confirming a stolen vehicle bearing Jersey registration traveling northbound on Ridge Road at Union Avenue.
Upon being notified of the alert, Officer Michael D’Alessandro conducted a search of the surrounding area. As Officer D’Alessandro exited the parking lot of 425 Lewandowski Street (Stop & Shop), he observed the aforementioned vehicle occupied by two women traveling north on Lewandowski Street.
The vehicle made a right turn traveling east on Brisbin Avenue then a left to travel north on Orient Way. Officer D’Alessandro conducted a motor-vehicle stop in the entrance to the Vermella apartment complex, at Orient Way and Marine Avenue. Officer D’Alessandro was joined by Lt. Charles Giangeruso and Officers Michal A. Carrino and Vincent DiNicola moments later. Both women were placed under arrest without incident.
During the stop, Denise A. Fina, 57, of Morris Plains, was found to be in operation of the vehicle and was joined by her front seat passenger, Stephanie L. Harvatt, 39, of Kearny. The vehicle was confirmed stolen out of Ridgewood, which had been entered stolen on the same day.
Officer D’Alessandro located a glassine bag containing a crushed crystal like substance, a burnt glass pipe commonly used to ingest meth amphetamines and a purple metal container containing a rock-like substance admitted to be meth amphetamines.
Both were arrested as Foma was charged with receiving a stolen vehicle and possession of a controlled-dangerous substance, both third degree crimes, and she was remanded to the Bergen County Jail, Hackensack.
Harvatt was charged with possession of a controlled-dangerous substance and possession drug paraphernalia.
Harvatt was released on a complaint summons to appear in Bergen County Central Judicial Processing Court.
Learn more about the writer ...
Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.