Imagine waking up at 4:30 a.m., and finding out your car isn’t there.

That’s how last Friday started for Montclair’s Herb Jimenez.

Jimenez, a dedicated biker, was supposed to be leaving for the Tour of the Catskills stage race. Instead, he spent the early morning hours making a police report, calling his insurance company and finally, getting a rental car.

By 7:30 p.m.. after a stressful and disappointing day, Jimenez decides to go out and grab a protein smoothie. He’s driving in his rental car, going north on Valley Road, when he sees his own car — the one stolen from his home that morning — heading south bound on Valley.

Jimenez reacted immediately, making a crazy U-Turn, then calling 911, all while following his stolen car.

“I stayed close to them for about 10 blocks, making turns into different streets in Montclair while giving the police directions as to where they were turning and heading,” says Jimenez.

Four police patrol cars finally descended on the two thieves near 163 Park St, about 1/8 mile from the high school. One of the officers was Lieutenant James M. Lalor.

“The crooks began to notice I was following them, but by that time the cops were close. As they spot the flashing lights coming from behind me, they hit the brakes. I go around on my rental and block them, but then they jump out of my car and make a run for it,” says Jimenez.

Lt. Lalor is the first officer to jump out his patrol car and chases after one of the suspects.

“He does this flying jump move and grabs one of them from the back and pins him hard to the ground on someone’s front lawn. It was a move like a pro stuntman – saw it with my own eyes. That man is one bad ass cop,” says Jimenez, adding that the whole experience was surreal, like being in a movie.

Jimenez missed the Tour of the Catskills but his story is better than anything than any action he would have seen at the race. The highlight of his day? Lt. Lalor telling him “Jimenez…That was good work.”

Montclair police released this official report of the incident, which occurred after 7 p.m. Friday night and resulted in trains being stopped for a half hour during the police search for suspects. From D/Lt. Angel L. Roman, Jr, Vice/Investigative Bureau Commander: