EAST BRUNSWICK – An 18-year-old resident of East Brunswick was charged with multiple violations after he allegedly committed several robberies and assaults, according to the East Brunswick Police Department.
On July 21 at 2 p.m., patrol units responded to the area of Myron Place and Manor Place to investigate a report of a robbery. Witnesses said a male suspect had attempted to steal an individual’s wallet from his rear pocket as the man was walking on Myron Place, according to police.
The suspect allegedly struck the man in the head with an open hand, knocking him to the ground, where the victim hit his head and lost consciousness. The suspect reportedly fled on foot toward Westons Mills Road and Route 18, according to police.
An investigation determined the man had his wallet, which contained credit cards and approximately $100 cash, ripped from his pants pocket during the incident. The man said he allegedly saw a tall skinny black male wearing a red shirt walking in the area prior to the incident. Police searched the area, but did not located the suspect.
The man was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick, after sustaining injuries to his head, neck and extremities.
On July 23 at 1 p.m., patrol units were dispatched to the area of Route 18 and Naricon Place to investigate a report of a suspicious person, according to police.
Dispatchers advised the officers that a caller reported seeing the alleged suspect from the robbery on July 21 and said the suspect was in the area on foot. Upon arrival, officers checking the area located the individual walking northbound on the southbound side of Route 18.
As officers approached the suspect, the man allegedly began running southbound on Route 18 south and jumped over the concrete median, continuing to run southbound in the northbound lanes, according to police.
The man reportedly ran into oncoming traffic before leaving the highway and running into a wooded area that divides Route 18 northbound and the Route 1 southbound ramp onto Route 18 northbound. The man was then seen running across the Route 1 ramp and entering The Gardens at Raritan apartment complex on Paulus Boulevard, New Brunswick, according to police.
The man reportedly ran into a parking lot of Starbucks and Famous Dave’s on Route 1, New Brunswick, where he was taken into custody. The man was transported to the East Brunswick Police Department where he was interviewed by members of the Investigative Division, according to police.
The suspect was charged with robbery, aggravated assault, theft and credit card fraud, according to police, for the following incidents:
• On Jan. 27, he allegedly stole a school bus at Shoppers World in the Loehmann’s Plaza parking lot, East Brunswick. He was charged with theft of a motor vehicle;
• On Feb. 2, he allegedly snatched a purse from a woman walking by Hong Kong Supermarket, 265 Route 18, East Brunswick. He was charged with theft;
• On May 28, he reportedly assaulted a man walking on Rennee Road near Retro Fitness in Loehmann’s Plaza, East Brunswick, by sneaking up behind the man and punching him in the head. He was charged with simple assault;
• On July 18, burglarizing a motor vehicle on Lake Avenue, East Brunswick, where he reportedly took keys from inside the vehicle and stole another vehicle. He was charged with burglary and theft of a motor vehicle;
• The man also allegedly admitted to the robbery of a taxi cab driver in New Brunswick.
He was remanded to the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center, North Brunswick, according to East Brunswick police.