Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of a 16-year-old juvenile who resides in Bergen County on charges of armed robbery, weapon offenses, and theft. The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck and the River Edge Police Department under the direction of Chief Michael Walker.
On Wednesday, August 7, 2024, at approximately 4:45 a.m., officers from the River Edge Police Department responded to an armed robbery at a gas station on Hackensack Avenue in River Edge. Accordingly, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Squad was notified, responded, and initiated a joint investigation with the River Edge Police Department.
The investigation revealed that the suspect, who was wearing a mask and a hooded sweatshirt, approached the employee of the gas station and displayed a handgun that was tucked in the waistband of his pants. The suspect demanded the money in the cash register and on the victim’s person, fleeing with several hundred dollars. Ultimately, detectives were able to identify the suspect as a 16-year-old juvenile from Bergen County.
On Thursday, August 8, 2024, detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Squad and the River Edge Police Department located the juvenile in Bergen County, took him into custody, and executed a court authorized search warrant at his residence. As a result of the investigation, the 16-year-old male was charged with juvenile delinquency, specifically: first-degree armed robbery, N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1a(2); second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5b(1); second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4a(1); and fourth-degree theft, N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3a. The juvenile was placed in the custody of the Bergen County Juvenile Detention Center pending further action by Bergen County Superior Court Family Law Division.
Prosecutor Musella states that the charges are merely accusations, and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Prosecutor Musella thanks the River Edge Police Department, the Hackensack Police Department, and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance with this investigation.
