Police currently investigating two armed robberies that recently occurred in Paterson, New Jersey have reason to believe that these crimes were committed by the same suspect.
According to Sergeant Dean Barone of the Paterson Police Department, one man may have robbed two businesses in the early morning hours of Monday, February 3rd. Per reports, the first robbery occurred at a business located at 130 Straight Street in Paterson at 12:08 a.m, while the second robbery was committed approximately one mile away at 12:37 a.m.
In both incidents, the suspect was identified as wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt and a mask. In addition, the man was described carrying a handgun, stealing money from the register, and fleeing the scene in a tan sedan. These apparent connections, as well as the timing and proximity of the events, all point to the probability of one offender.
If the crimes were, in fact, committed by one suspect and he is apprehended, the man could be facing charges for multiple counts of armed robbery. Under the New Jersey Criminal Code,robbery is governed by N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1, and is considered a crime of the second degree unless one of the following conditions applies, in which case it is classified as a first degree offense:
- The actor attempts to kill anyone
- The actor purposely inflicts or attempts to inflict serious bodily injury; or
- The actor is armed with, or uses, or threatens the immediate use of a deadly weapon.
In this case, the accused would be facing first degrees charges because he allegedly utilized a handgun during the commission of both crimes. As a result, the defendant would be facing a term of incarceration ranging from 10 to 20 years in New Jersey State Prison for each robbery.
Notably, all robbery offenses are subject to sentencing under the No Early Release Act (“NERA”), a set of guidelines which requires those convicted to serve 85 percent of their sentence before becoming eligible for parole.
For more information pertaining to this case, access the following article: Two Paterson businesses robbed at gunpoint may be connected, police say
