HARRISON –
Four out-of-towners – a Kearny senior and three North Arlington females – were held up and robbed in two separate incidents six days apart in Harrison, according to the HPD.
On Friday, May 26, police said a 67-year-old Kearny man was walking in West Hudson Park, at 8:25 p.m., when he was reportedly approached from behind by six black male juveniles, struck in the head, pushed to the ground and punched and kicked.
Police said the assailants searched the man’s pockets and removed an iPhone and keys before fleeing.
After they were alerted to the attack and given a description by the victim, police said officers quickly began a search and three separate foot pursuits resulted in the capture of four of the six assailants.
Two 15-year-olds, a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old, all from Newark, were arrested, charged with first degree robbery and second degree conspiracy to commit robbery and transported to a juvenile detention facility.
The remaining two juvenile suspects have been identified through investigation but, as of last week, had not yet been apprehended. The victim’s property was recovered and returned, police said.
Police said the victim’s injuries were listed as “not serious.”
In the other incident, police said they responded to a report of a robbery, called in at 10:41 p.m. on May 31, at Harrison Ave. and First St., where the victims – ages 16, 25 and 29 – all of North Arlington, told officers they were walking north on First St. just before Warren St. when a dark-colored vehicle, possibly a Honda Accord, stopped next to them.
The victims told police that three black men – one brandishing a dark-colored pocket knife – got out and approached them and demanded that they “hand over everything they had.”
Police said the bandits took, from one of the victims, a purse containing her keys, an iPhone 6S valued at $500, a pair of gold earrings priced at $600, about $600 in cash and her wallet containing credit and debit cards, Social Security card, her driver’s license and her mother’s Social Security card.
Another of the victims turned over her purse which held a pair of shoes valued at $100 and some food items.
The third victim gave up her purse containing $60 in cash, a pair of black sunglasses priced at $50, a pink iPhone 6S valued at $500 and some food.
Police said the trio got back in the car, which was already occupied by two other black males wearing dark-colored clothing, and headed north on First St., turning east onto Warren.
The three bandits were described as between 5-feet-10 and 6 feet, wearing dark-colored hoodies with one having long braids and age 18 to 20. The driver was listed as possibly in his 30s, police said.
None of the victims was hurt, police said.
– Ron Leir
