From Maplewood Police Chief Jim DeVaul:
On 4/11/2022 at 0010 hours, dispatch received an emergency 9-1-1 call from QuickChek (1545 Springfield Ave) reporting they had just been robbed.
Patrols responded on scene and made contact with the victim/employee who reported an unknown male entered the store and appeared to wait until all other customers made their purchases and exited. The suspect then approached the counter and asked for a carton of Newport cigarettes. The victim reported he placed 10 packages of cigarettes on the counter and asked the suspect if he would be paying with cash or credit. The suspect then signaled toward his sweatshirt and replied “I have a gun. Give me the cigarettes.” The victim then placed the cigarettes, valued at approximately $100.00, in a brown paper bag and handed them to the male. While exiting the store with the proceeds, the suspect stated, “If you call the cops, I’ll come back and shoot you.”
The victim described the suspect as a male approximately 40 years of age, 5’5” in height, with a scruff of facial hair, wearing black pants and a black hooded sweatshirt, a light colored face mask with the hood over his head. The victim was unable to provide any further direction of flight and reported he did not have access to the store’s surveillance cameras. An in-house review of Maplewood PD’s surveillance cameras, shows a suspect matching the provided description exiting the store running eastbound on Springfield Ave at 0003 hours and then continuing southbound through the rear parking lot of 1521 Springfield Ave. (Bank of America) toward Jacoby St. Officers conducted a canvass of the area with negative results for anyone matching the description. It is unknown at this time if a vehicle was involved in the incident.
MFD was dispatched to the scene to evaluate the victim due to being visibly distraught over the incident. The victim later refused further medical attention.
Detectives are actively investigating the incident. Anyone with information, please contact DLt. Michael Palmerezzi at mpalmerezzi@twp.maplewood.nj.us or 973-761-7913.
