November 19 Robbery
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November 19 Robbery |
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North Plainfield Police Department Chief William G. Parenti Press Release: November 20, 2008 North Plainfield Police Chief William Parenti announced the arrest of two men in connection with an armed robbery Wednesday night, November 19. Two men entered the Radio Shack at 1240 Route 22, North Plainfield just before 7:30 pm. A sales assistant immediately noticed they had their faces covered with masks; one of them displayed a handgun and advised her to remain quite. Another employee was in the store and managed to escape out the back before being seen; he was able to alert police by phone. The men demanded the proceeds from the cash register and the sales assistant complied. The actors then fled the out the front of the building. The employee that had escaped managed to see the suspects getting in a car and was able to provide a vehicle description to the 911 operator that broadcast that to responding police units. Officers Timothy Boykoff and Enrico Perrone observed a vehicle matching the description stopped at a red light at the intersection of West End Ave and Greenbrook Road. Upon lighting up the interior of the car, it fled south on West End Ave, passing another police unit operated by Officer James Garafalo. The police units engaged the vehicle in pursuit and the vehicle struck a vehicle stopped in traffic at the intersection of West End Ave and Front Street in Plainfield, it then careened off the car and hit a traffic pole. The two occupants were taken into custody; the operator offered little resistance but the passenger required the efforts of multiple officers to be subdued. Sergeants Brian Rosko and Joseph Stopinski, and Officers Christopher Bond, Donald Everett and Dave Dzibela assisted at the scene. The Plainfield Police also responded to the scene. Two occupants in the vehicle that was struck were transported to the Muhlenberg Emergency Department for what were believed to be minor injuries. After further investigation Allen Currie, 46 years of age, of 16 West End Avenue, Plainfield was charged through the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office with 1st degree armed robbery, 4th degree unlawful possession of a weapon; 4th degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose; 3rd degree resisting arrest; and 3rd degree aggravated assault on a police officer. He was remanded to the Somerset County Jail pending the setting of bail. Keith Lewis, 50 years of age, of 1110 West 7th Street, Apt 11B, Plainfield, was charged through the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office with 1st degree Armed Robbery; 4th degree unlawful possession of a weapon; 4th degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose; 2nd degree eluding; and 2nd degree causing bodily injury to another while eluding a law enforcement officer. He was also remanded to the Somerset County Jail pending the setting of bail. Chief Parenti said: “These Officers did an outstanding job, apprehending violent felons. Thanks to a citizens timely notification and a rapid police response two dangerous armed suspects and a handgun have been taken off the street”. Note: We are required by the Rules of Court to include herein a statement explaining that the charges are merely an accusation and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. North Plainfield Police Dept. |