Man Fought Woman, Stole Her Cell Phone, Charged With Robbery In Brick: Police

BRICK, NJ -- A Brick Township man has been charged with robbery and theft after he stole a cell phone from a woman in a shopping center parking lot, Brick police said Friday.

Kyle Brandon Stinson, 25, of Brandywine Court was arrested July 23, Brick Capt. Timothy Boyle said.

Police were called to the parking lot at Big Lots on Van Zile Road shortly before 2:30 p.m. on July 23 for a report of a robbery in progress, Boyle said.

The victim told police that as she left Aldi's, a man, later identified as Stinson, was sitting on a bench talking on his cell phone. He then approached the victim and told her another car had hit hers, Boyle said.

As the victim was inspecting her car, Stinson asked if he could use her phone, saying his was not working, Boyle said. The victim agreed, but eventually asked for her phone back. Stinson refused, the victim grabbed for her phone and a struggle ensued, he said.

As the woman was fighting to get her phone back, Stinson grabbed her pocketbook, and she began to scream and let go of the phone, Boyle said. Stinson then let go of her pocketbook, and ran off toward Laurel Square Plaza with her phone, and dropped his own in the process, Boyle said. The victim's phone was valued at more than $600, he said.

The woman described the suspect was described as being about 25 years old, unshaven, with reddish brown hair, Boyle said. She also told Detective Joseph Leskowski that the suspect had been drinking from a McDonald's cup while he was sitting on the bench, and police retrieved the cup, and Leskowski reviewed surveillance video at McDonald's that showed a young man matching the description given by the victim, Boyle said.

In the meantime, the victim’s son collected a list of numbers that had been dialed from the victim's phone following the robbery, and the son told Leskowski he made several phone calls to the numbers and was given the name of Kyle or Brandon Stinson by one of the people who answered the calls, Boyle said.

Leskowski found a Kyle Stinson, also known as Kyle Brandon Stinson, on social media, and then found Kyle Brandon Stinson listed in the Brick Police in-house computer system; Boyle said the department's internal information matched the description given by the victim.

Leskowski interviewed Stinson at Brick Police headquarters and Stinson confessed, Boyle said. Police also found the SIM card and cell phone cover at Stinson's home, he said.

Stinson was charged with robbery and theft, and was processed and released on summons, Boyle said.

Kyle Brandon Stinson, photo provided by Brick Township Police