BUFFALO, N.Y.—A 32-year-old Venezuelan national was taken into custody by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents at the Peace Bridge border crossing on Tuesday after they identified him as the driver of a stolen vehicle and found out he had outstanding criminal warrants in Colorado.
Naxer Acevedo Escalona, the driver, started the incident when he unintentionally drove a 2016 Nissan Altima over the Peace Bridge, which connects Buffalo, New York, and Fort Erie, Canada. Using the National Crime Information Center database, officers in the primary inspection area discovered that the car had been reported stolen to the Chicago Police Department.
In order to conduct additional investigation, CBP officials escorted the car and its occupants to a separate inspection area. Officers verified the driver’s identify during this procedure and learned Escalona was wanted by the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office in Colorado on accusations of car theft and armed robbery.
CBP officials contacted state and local law enforcement to authenticate the criminal warrants after confirming that the Nissan Altima matched the vehicle that had been reported stolen. After being arrested and processed by CBP, the driver was turned over to local law enforcement.
Area Port Director Gaetano Cordone emphasized the cooperation between CBP and state and municipal partners by saying, “Thanks to the exceptional work of our CBP officers, another criminal was taken off our streets.”
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