A 47-year-old Trenton man has been charged with third degree theft after being tracked down by East Windsor police in connection with a theft incident at the Shop Rite at Route 319 and Route 130 North.
According to a news release from the East Windsor Police Department, police responded to a call at 11:38 p.m. April 11 for a reported robbery at the store. It was reported that a lone suspect entered the store and attempted to purchase a soda from the checkout line. When the cashier opened the register to make change, the suspect leaned over the counter and removed an undetermined amount of cash from the register.
The suspect, later identified as Robert McClain, ran toward the exit and was chased by a customer, whose identity is unknown at this time. Another witness reportedly heard the suspect tell the customer, “Don’t grab me, I’ll shoot you!”
Mr. McClain then exited the store and fled from the area in a silver four-door sedan. It is unknown if he was armed at the time of the robbery as no weapon was visible in the surveillance video.
Mr. McClain has also been charged with carjacking and other offenses in connection with the carjacking of a 77-year-old woman that occurred that same day, April 11, in the parking lot at the Lawrence Shopping Center, according to the Lawrence Township Police Department.
Police had been searching for the 2013 Kia Rio since the incident was reported around 3:30 p.m. Monday. On Tuesday, Sgt. James Smith saw a car that matched the description of the stolen vehicle in the parking lot at the Avalon Bay apartment complex, police said.
Mr. McClain was arrested April 12 as he was about to get into the stolen car while it was parked at the Avalon Bay rental apartment complex, police said. He was also charged with receiving stolen property and theft.
Bail has not yet been set.
