Man Sentenced For Attacking, Robbing Elderly Woman In Berkeley

BERKELEY, NJ — A Burlington County man has been sentenced to ten years in New Jersey State Prison for attacking and robbing an 87-year-old woman in Berkeley in 2019, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office said.

On Sept. 23, 2019, the woman was hitting golf balls at Robert J. Miller Airpark when David Steen, 54, of Marlton, pushed her to the ground and and hit her in the head with a golf club, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

Steen ripped the gold chain and gold crucifix from the woman’s neck and fled, Billhimer said.

She was able to return home where a friend took her to urgent care, Billhimer said. An investigation revealed that Steen was the attacker, he said.

A warrant was issued for Steen’s arrest on October 3, 2019, and he was arrested in Burlington County on October 7, 2019, during an unrelated traffic stop, Billhimer said.

Steen has sat in Ocean County Jail since, Billhimer said.

Steen was sentenced to ten years for robbery and five years for aggravated assault, Billhimer said. These sentences are to run cocurrently. The sentence is subject to the No Early Release Act, meaning Steen will have to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before he can be considered for parole eligibility.

Billhimer acknowledged the diligent efforts of Senior Assistant Prosecutor Jamie Schron and Assistant Prosecutor Julie Peterson who handled the case on behalf of the State, and commends the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, Berkeley Township Police Department, Berkeley Township Police Department Detective Bureau, Manchester Township Police Department Detective Bureau, Pemberton Township Police Department, New Jersey State Police, United States Marshals Service, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit, and Ocean County Security Department, for their collective efforts in connection with this investigation, leading to Steen’s arrest, guilty pleas, and now his state prison sentence.