Two (2) Paterson men recently charged with committing a smash-and-grab burglary are now suspected of conducting a robbery spree throughout the downtown Paterson area.
In September, Paterson NJ police arrested 19-year-old Khadir “Pudge” Cranford and 20-year-old Nathan “Biscuit” Cox for a burglary of the “Cash Converters” store on Main Street. Mr. Cranford and Mr. Cox allegedly smashed the store’s front window with a rock, then entered the store and made off with approximately $3,000.00 worth of headphones and fake gold jewelry.
The burglary was caught on surveillance video, which showed a gun falling out of the pants of one of the suspects.
After being caught, Mr. Cranford and Mr. Cox were charged with second degree burglary,unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
Later, when police were looking at the surveillance video of the burglary, they began to suspect Mr. Cranford and Mr. Cox of also participating in a string of robberies dating back to mid-2012.
Mr. Cranford and Mr. Cox have already been charged in two (2) of the earlier robberies. One of the robberies was a strong-arm robbery of a teenager’s cell phone on Ellison Street. The other robbery occurred in the parking lot of a Domino’s Pizza on Smith Street.
Paterson NJ police believe that Mr. Cranford and Mr. Cox are responsible for at least five (5) more robberies. Those robberies took place: (1) at the McDonald’s on lower Market Street in summer 2012; (2) on 21st Avenue under the bridge by Straight Street in November 2012; (3) near Eva’s Village on Spring Street in January 2013; (4) behind City Hall in June 2013; and (5) in the area of the Sunrise Lounge near St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in August 2013.
Paterson authorities are seeking the victims in the earlier robberies to help identify the men. Anyone with information about these alleged robberies is asked to call Paterson detectives at (973) 321-1120.
For more information, read the NJ.com article entitled “Paterson Pair Arrested in Burglary, Suspected of Year-Long Robbery Spree, Police Say.”
