HARRISON –
Harrison PD believes it has located – with help from the Newark PD – the suspect who broke into a local liquor store during the early hours of the New Year.
At 4 p.m. on Jan. 1, police responded to Fulger’s Golden Liquor Store, Harrison and Davis Aves., where someone had shattered the glass front door with a brickto get inside and removed two cash registers and cartons of cigarettes before fleeing.
Fortunately, the image of the suspect, described as a black man with a hoodie, was captured by the store’s surveillance camera and, according to Harrison PD’s Det. Sgt. Dave Doyle, police quickly sent out a still shot and an account of the break-in as an APB.net, a digital flier, to all police jurisdictions throughout the state.
And, Doyle said, that same day, Harrison PD got a response from Wharton PD in Morris County advising that a man who appeared to be a match of the suspect’s photo was wanted by Roxbury PD, also in Morris.
The man being sought by Roxbury was listed as Keith A. Herbert, 46, of Newark, Doyle said.
“We were also called by the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, Bergen County Prosecutor and Newark PD,” Doyle said. “They all believed he was a suspect of theirs, as well.”
Police began searching for Herbert at all of his known addresses, but it wasn’t until Jan. 6 that a break came in the case, Doyle said.
“At 6 p.m., we got a call from Newark PD saying that they’d arrested our suspect on a strong-arm robbery somewhere in Newark’s East District,” he said. Newark PD could not be reached for further details on the crime there.
Dets. Joseph Nigro and Corey Karas, accompanied by Doyle, went to Newark “and got a video-tape confession of the liquor store job” from Herbert, Doyle said.
None of the stolen cash or merchandise has been recovered, Doyle said.
Asked whether he’s been linked to the other commercial break-ins that occurred on Harrison Ave. during holiday week, Doyle said: “Based on his account, we don’t believe he’s connected to the other jobs.”
Meanwhile, Herbert is being held at the Essex County Jail, awaiting court appearances related to Newark and other alleged crimes. “We’re waiting in line,” Doyle said.
