The Wanaque Police Department is currently investigating an armed robbery, which occurred at a Quick Stop store in Wanaque, New Jersey on Sunday, January 12th.
Police reports indicate that two men, carrying at least one gun, stole an unidentified amount of money from the cash register at the Quick Stop convenience store located on Ringwood Avenue in the Haskell area of Wanaque at approximately 4:20 p.m. According to the employees working at the store at the time, the men pointed a gun at them and made them drop to the floor before stealing the cash from the register.
The perpetrators subsequently fled the scene driving a black Suzuki GSX-R 1000 motorcycle, proceeding south on Ringwood Avenue. They were reportedly wearing black leather jackets, brown bandanas, and motorcycle helmets during the commission of the crime. A surveillance video captured a photo of the two individuals, shown above.
The investigation is ongoing and the Wanaque Police Department has requested that any and all information pertaining to the incident be forwarded to their offices at (973) 835-5600.
If suspects are ultimately identified and arrested, they will likely face charges including armed robbery, which is a first degree offense under the New Jersey Criminal Code.
Robbery is codified under N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1, and can be classified as a crime of the first or second degree. The statute specifies that robbery is a second degree offense unless the actor:
- Attempts to kill anyone; or
- Purposely inflicts or attempts to inflict serious bodily injury; or
- Is armed with, or uses, or threatens the immediate use of a deadly weapon.
In this case, the defendants would be charged with first degree robbery offenses due to the fact that they were armed with a gun during the commission of the crime. This means that if they are ultimately convicted, they could be sentenced to a term of incarceration ranging from 10 to 20 years in New Jersey State Prison. In addition, robbery offenses in either degree are governed under the No Early Release Act (“NERA”), which requires those convicted to serve 85 percent of the sentence imposed before becoming eligible for parole.
If you or a loved one have been charged with a robbery offense, contact Passaic County criminal defense attorney Alissa D. Hascup for a free consultation about your case.
For more information pertaining to this case, access the following articke: Motorcyclists hold up Passaic County convenience store at gunpoint
