A 67-year-old woman was the reported victim of a strong-arm robbery on St. Mary’s Place late Friday, July 30, the NPD reported.
Police said they were called to St. Mary’s Place when they got a call that a woman was assaulted and robbed.
The woman told police she was attacked from behind and her purse torn from her arm.
The suspect was described as a man dressed in all black.
After the alleged robbery, police said the suspect fled in a dark SUV.
Police were able to locate the victim’s cell phone (which had been in her stolen purse) with the assistance of her wireless carrier and determined the phone was in a Walgreens Parking lot on Main St. in Clifton.
Nutley and Clifton police converged on that location and found Anthony Randazzo, 31, of Mahwah behind the wheel of a 2003 Chevy Envoy (which had also been stolen, out of Fairlawn).
Officers said they observed the victim’s purse and identification on the front seat. When the officer called victims phone it too was located within the vehicle. Randazzo was placed under arrest and transported to police headquarters where he was charged with second-degree robbery, possession of CDS and paraphernalia.
He was transported to the Essex County Jail in lieu of $75,000 cash bail, police said.
Police Director/Commissioner Alphonse Petracco blamed the NPD’s having fewer cops on patrol than other local towns for this robbery — and a rash of car break-ins over the last few weeks.
“(This) indicates sure signs that having fewer police than surrounding communities is catching up to us,” Petracco said. “The next few years, I am committed to adding more police to our department in an effort to ensure there are more officers on the street — keeping everyone safe.”
Police Chief Thomas Strumolo commended all officers, detectives and dispatchers who worked quickly to locate the phone and make an apprehension.
— Kevin Canessa Jr.
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.