September 08, 2017
A New Jersey man is facing charges after he allegedly tried to blow up his ex-girlfriend's apartment, according to police.
A Bergen County woman contacted Ridgefield Park police around 9:30 p.m. Monday after she wasn't able to get into her home, the Daily Voice reported Friday. Police said they noticed a strong gas odor coming from her apartment and were forced to break in when they discovered that her door had been chained shut from the inside.
Upon entry, officials said they found a lit candle inside the apartment with the stove's knobs in the "on" position. Police turned the gas off with assistance from PSE&G, which had deployed its own staff to investigate a call about the odor, according to the publication.
The woman reportedly told police that she had previous "domestic violence issues" with her ex-boyfriend, Richard Prado, 23, of Hudson County.
Prado allegedly confessed to being in the apartment after detectives said they found surveillance footage of him buying a candle at a nearby store, NJ.com reported.
Prado is being charged with two counts of attempted arson, burglary and recklessly causing damage. He is being held in Bergen County Jail pending a detention hearing.
