HARRISON – Police say three men arrested in Harrison on Jan. 11 are believed to have participated in three recent robberies – two in Harrison and one in Kearny.
Two of the three are suspects in another Harrison robbery.
Tyrome Bush, 19, of Newark, Andrew Leverson, 26, of East Orange, and Richard Avent, 21, of Irvington, have been committed to the Hudson County Jail, Kearny, each on bail of $250,000 pending prosecution.
The first incident took place on Jan. 6 when a Warren St. resident of Harrison was robbed and assaulted in front of his home by two men at about 10:43 p.m. The victim told police that two men – later identified as Leverson and Avent – approached him and demanded money, then searched his pockets, took his cellular phone and backpack and stabbed him once in each of his legs before running away.
He was taken to University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey Hospital, Newark, for treatment.
On Jan. 11 at 5:25 p.m. police located the victim of a stabbing on Central Ave. in Harrison. Before being transported to UMDNJ Hospital, the victim told police that three men attacked him as he was walking in the area of N. Fifth St. and Cross St. He said his assailants took his cellular phone and repeatedly stabbed him about his stomach and chest.
Shortly afterward, the Kearny Police Dept. alerted police in surrounding communities that a robbery, reportedly involving three men, had occurred in Kearny.
Then, at about 6 p.m., Harrison Police got a report of another robbery in the area of Seventh and Ann Sts. The victim told police he was repeatedly hit by three men who stole his cellular phone and a bag he was carrying.
Soon after that incident, Harrison Police located three men matching the description given by the victims in the area of Harrison Ave. and Church Square. Police said the men tried to flee while discarding a stolen cellular phone and a set of metal knuckles which police recovered as evidence.
While being held at Harrison Police Headquarters, the three men – Bush, Leverson and Avent – were identified by the victim of the robbery that had taken place in Kearny and were then arrested and taken into custody by Kearny Police.
As the three were interrogated during the night at Kearny Police Headquarters, police said they admitted that they participated in the two Jan. 11 Harrison robberies and the robbery in Kearny and they were charged in connection with those incidents. And, in the morning hours, after extracting more information, police charged Leverson and Avent with the Jan. 6 robbery in Harrison.
Here are other cases logged during the past week by Harrison Police:
Jan. 10
Police arrested William Couch, 45, and his brother Brian Couch, 50, both of Harrison, as police conducted a motor vehicle stop after the brothers had left Bryan’s Cleveland Ave. residence in his car. Bryan was charged with driving while suspended, receiving stolen property and possession of drug paraphernalia and a crack pipe found in his pocket upon his arrest, and released pending court action. William was charged with conspiracy to commit burglary and receiving stolen property and held at the Hudson County Jail, Kearny.
The brothers’ arrest stems from the arrest on Dec. 23, 2011, of Christopher Lindsay, 22, of Harrison, on charges of burglarizing two Cross St. homes and burglarizing a house under construction on Sixth St. Investigation led detectives to believe that William Couch, Lindsay’s stepfather, prompted Lindsay to commit the Sixth St. burglary. Investigation also revealed that William Couch and Bryan Couch sold the items taken in that burglary – copper pulled from baseboard heating units – to a Newark scrap yard.
Four vehicles parked in a private parking lot at Railroad Ave. and Second St. were broken into. The thief got away with compact discs, loose change, sunglasses and a GPS unit. A 1996 Honda Civic reported stolen from a private parking lot on Railroad Ave. was recovered Jan. 12 in Newark.
Jan. 9
Someone broke into a 2008 Saab while it was parked on Bergen St. under Rt. 280. Nothing was reported stolen.
Jan. 8
A 2012 Honda Accord parked on Bergen St. under Rt. 280 was broken into and a GPS unit was removed.
Luis Octavio Sumba, 20, of Newark, was arrested on charges of burglary and resisting arrest after police say he was discovered to have illegally entered the Red Bull Arena.
Gerard Ingacastillo, 25, of Newark, was arrested on charges of DWI after he was found asleep in his car w hile it was parked on the sidewalk on Frank Rodgers Blvd. South.
A 2004 Chevrolet Silverado was broken into while it was parked on Warren St. under Rt. 280 and a portable GPS unit was stolen. A 1999 Lexus was broken into while it was parked on Passaic Ave. under Rt. 280 and a 9-inch TV was taken.
A pedestrian walking in the area of Frank Rodgers Blvd. South and Railroad Ave. was robbed of her cellular phone by an unknown man who threw her to the ground and ran away.
Jan. 7
Alfredo Guartazaca, 39, of Newark, was arrested on a DWI charge after police say he was seen driving erratically on Frank Rodgers Blvd. South.
Someone broke into a 2000 Honda Civic, parked on Passaic Ave. under Rt. 280, and removed a GPS unit.
Three vehicles parked in the area of Third and Warren Sts. were broken into. The intruder got away with loose change and an Apple iPod.
A thief stole a 1998 Honda Civic parked on the 200 block of Sussex St.
Jan. 6
A Toyota Previa parked under Rt. 280 on Warren St. was broken into and a camcorder, sub-woofer and laptop computer were stolen.
A 1996 Honda Civic was stolen from a public parking lot on First St. during the daylight hours.
