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By JERRY DeMARCO

Authorities say a couple believed to be the serial robbers nicknamed “Bonnie and Clyde” have been caught and confessed to several North Jersey holdups, after being spotted by a young cop who’s been on the job less than a year.

The couple, sitting in an SUV at a stop light last night, seemed to match the description of the local holdup artists.

So Officer Ryan Maloney called in to headquarters and followed the couple until marked patrol units pulled them over. Inside the vehicle police said they found a gun, a ski mask, duct tape and a lots of lottery tickets believed to have been taken at gunpoint from local groceries.

Maria Cruz, 29, and Leon Rene, 32, both of Clifton copped to seven robberies in Paterson, Clifton, Garfield and Woodland Park (formerly known as West Paterson), Clifton Detective Capt. Robert Rowan said during a news conference this afternoon.





Although they were barely a miniature version of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow—the Clifton couple are characterized as a pair of hopheads with expensive smack habits—they were dangerous.

Rene is believed to have pistol-whipped one victim before fleeing with hundreds of dollars. Other victims were also assaulted—and in some cases bound, police said. Cruz was the wheelwoman, they said.

Clifton police, who took the booking photos, charged them with the two local holdups, along with weapons counts. Other municipal departments are gathering their records to present charges of their own.





Veteran crime reporter Jerry DeMarco has covered crime for more than two decades as a reporter and editor. He writes a true crime blog for examiner.com.