Belleville Cops: Laundry Soap Behind April Fools’ Day Robberies

BELLEVILLE, NJ — Back-to-back robberies involving laundry detergent were reported at Walgreens and Family Dollar in Belleville on April Fools’ Day, authorities said.

According to the Belleville Police Department, the first robbery took place around 7:44 p.m. on April 1 at the Walgreens on Franklin Avenue.

Bellville police said that the victim confronted a man who allegedly tried to conceal two containers of Tide laundry detergent and leave the store. The man then tried to force his way past the victim, punched him in the face with a closed fist, grabbed the detergent and ran out of the store, authorities stated.

Emergency responders treated the victim on scene for his injuries. No description of the suspect was provided, police said.

Belleville police are investigating the incident, authorities stated.

FAMILY DOLLAR ROBBERY

Belleville police said that another laundry detergent robbery took place at 8:08 p.m. at the Family Dollar store on Washington Avenue on April 1.

During that encounter, a store employee allegedly saw a man conceal 10 bottles of laundry detergent in duffel bags and attempt to leave the premises. The worker managed to seize the detergent back, but the man put up a struggle before giving up, grabbing the employee “forcefully” and attempting to take the duffel bags back, Belleville police said.

When the man’s attempts to seize the detergent back failed, he ran out of the store, got into a car and fled south on Broadway, police said.

The dollar store employee wasn’t injured during the encounter, police said.

The employee described the alleged thief as a six-foot, slender black male wearing a red t-shirt. Belleville police are investigating the incident, authorities said.

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