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SOUTH BRUNSWICK: Alleged robber surrenders

Monmouth Junction man charged in restaurant robbery

By Charles W. Kim, Managing Editor
Police charged a Monmouth Junction man with allegedly trying to rob a restaurant with a knife last week.
On Wednesday, Chief of Police Raymond Hayducka announced the arrest of the 40-year-old man in connection to the attempted armed robbery of a Route 1 restaurant last week.
Chester Anderson, 40, of Monmouth Junction surrendered at South Brunswick Police Headquarters Tuesday afternoon, according to police.
Police said Mr. Anderson was aware police were looking for him in connection with the robbery since late last week.
Police said the incident was reported Aug. 26 at 3 p.m. at the Kapadokya Mediterranean Grill on Route 1 in Monmouth Junction.
The cashier told police that the suspect came into the restaurant with a black or blue hooded sweatshirt pulled over his face, and had his right hand in a black drawstring bag and demanded money, police said.
The cashier then went into the kitchen to alert other employees of the robbery.
A customer in the restaurant, identified as a 64-year-old man from Garfield, then stood up and confronted the suspect demanding that he leave the business.
The two men exchanged words, leading to a dangerous confrontation where the customer used his motorcycle helmet to fend off the suspect.
The suspect, described by police as a light-skinned male possibly Hispanic, 6’02" tall with a bald or shaved head and a thin beard, then left the restaurant without getting any money, police said.
He fled south into the woods outside the restaurant, police said.
The break in the case came after news reports showed the surveillance video depicting the incident.
Several callers identified Anderson within hours of the video airing on television news and news websites, police said.
"The brazen nature of this armed robbery attempt left many in the community unnerved. We dedicated significant personnel to identifying and tracking down the suspect responsible," Chief Hayducka said. "Less then a week after the armed robbery attempt, we have a suspect in custody. The arrest highlights our relationship with the community and media. We released the surveillance video to the media, and within hours of them showing the video, tips came in identifying the suspect. Mr. Anderson became aware we were tracking him and attempting to take him into custody and decided to surrender."
Mr. Anderson was charged with robbery and lodged in the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center in North Brunswick on $100,000 bail.
Chief Hayducka thanked all those involved with quickly making an arrest in the case.
"It is a credit to the officers and detectives who worked the case that Mr. Anderson was taken into custody so fast," said Chief Hayducka. "I want to also thank those agencies who assisted us in this case; Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, New Jersey State Police, South Plainfield Police and the United States Marshal’s Service for their assistance."