Theft Suspect Locked In Bloomfield Gas Station, Hits Worker: PD

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Bloomfield police arrested a Montclair teen after he allegedly tried to steal a vape pen from a local gas station, got locked inside the store and hit a worker in the face trying to escape, authorities said Tuesday.

According to the Bloomfield Police Department, officers responded to the Exxon gas station on the 400-block of Bloomfield Avenue on Friday after getting a report about a robbery.

An employee told officers that a suspect walked into the store and tried to steal a Juul vape valued at $15. The worker said he locked the doors and waited for police to arrive. In an attempt to escape, the suspect struck him in the face, breaking his glasses, authorities said.

Police arrested the suspect, an 18-year-old Montclair resident, and charged him with robbery. He was transported to the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark.

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