The suspect is accused of pulling the plate up and concealing it from cameras, cops said. Watch video
FORT LEE - A driver is accused of rigging his tractor-trailer Wednesday night with fishing line to pull on and conceal his license plate as he passed through tolls on the George Washington Bridge, according to Port Authority Police.
Officer George Kwiecinski saw a 2006 Freightliner with no front plate passing through the tolls about 7:15 p.m. on the Fort Lee side of the bridge, according to police spokesman Joe Pentangelo.
"The E-ZPass sign alerted (the officer) that the suspect did not pay the toll," Pentangelo said in a statement Thursday.
"The vehicle's front plate was rigged on a hinge with monofilament fishing line that ran into the cab and ended on the dash where the suspect could control it to conceal the plate (pull it up out of view), and then restore the plate into view after exiting the toll and security cameras," the statement said.
Javier Marte, 41, Yonkers was charged with tampering with public records and theft of services. He was also charged with possession/manufacture of burglars tools, the spokesman said.
The latter charge was because Marte allegedly "used the line to facilitate the crime," Pentangelo said.
The fare for the truck would have been $126 at that hour without E-ZPass, officials said.
Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.