NEWARK -- A 13-year-old boy arrested in Newark in connection with a carjacking on Friday, and then ordered released to the custody of a relative, was arrested again on similar charges Sunday, this time in Maplewood, police said.

The boy, whose name has not been released because he is a juvenile, was arrested Friday on charges of receiving stolen property and resisting arrest, after police said he crashed a stolen SUV to end a police chase.

He tried to flee on foot, but officers caught him, and found key bobs from the SUV and two other cars that had recently been the target of carjackings, in Orange and Maplewood, said Capt. Derek Glenn, a Newark Police spokesman.



Following his arrest Friday, Glenn said a judge ordered the boy released to the custody of a relative, though detectives continued to investigate the boy's link to the three carjackings.

On Sunday morning, Glenn said the same boy, and an older associate, 22-year-old Justyn Knight of Newark, were arrested in Maplewood, after officers there spotted them on 19th Street in possession of an object reported stolen during the carjacking of a BMW in town earlier in the day.



Glenn said the the boy and Knight were standing near the carjacked BMW when the Maplewood officers spotted them with the stolen object, which was not identified.



Meanwhile, Glenn said Newark detectives working on the case since Friday had established a link between the boy and the Newark carjacking, and had obtained a warrant for his arrest on a carjacking charge.



After the two were processed in Maplewood on Sunday for the stolen property charges, Glenn said they were turned over to Newark police, who arrested the boy on the carjacking charge and arrested Knight on a warrant for an unspecified court violation.



Glenn said detectives continued to investigate any links between the boy or Knight and the carjackings in Orange and Maplewood.

Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose issued a statement Sunday commending the Newark and Maplewood officers, while expressing frustration over the boy's release Friday.

"It is disheartening to our officers and their victims that individuals are allowed to go free where they can continue to pose a threat to our society," Ambrose stated.

Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook.