East Brunswick Teen Stole School Bus And Taxi, Police Say

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — An 18-year-old East Brunswick teen was arrested in the parking lot of the Starbucks and Famous Dave's last week, near the AMC movie theater off Rt. 1, and police say he admitted to a slew of crime in the area in the past year. Those alleged crimes included a purse snatching and wallet picking, and even stealing a taxi cab and driving off with a school bus from the Shoppers World in Loehmann’s Plaza parking lot.

The series of incidents that led to the arrest of Latrell A. Edwards, 18, of East Brunswick, started Saturday, July 21: At 2 p.m. that day, police were called to Myron Place and Manor Place for the report of a robbery. There, witnesses told police a teenager tried to steal a man's wallet out of his rear pocket as he was walking on Myron Place. The teen struck the victim in the head with an open hand, knocking him to the ground where the victim hit his head and lost consciousness. The victim had his wallet, which contained credit cards and approximately $100, ripped from his pants pocket during the incident.

The teen then fled on foot toward Westons Mills Road and Rt. 18, and was not found that day. The victim told police he saw a tall skinny black man wearing a red shirt walking in the area prior to him being assaulted. The victim was transported to Robert Wood Johnson after sustaining injuries to his head, neck and extremities.

Two days later, on Monday, July 23, patrol units were dispatched to the area of Rt. 18 and Naricon Place for a call of a suspicious person. Police said a caller reported seeing the suspect from the earlier robbery and that the suspect was in the area on foot.

Police located Edwards walking along Rt. 18, and when he saw the police, he began to run, officers said. He suddenly jumped over the concrete median, continuing to run southbound on Rt. 18 in the northbound lanes. He ran in the center lane into oncoming traffic before he ran into the wooded area that divides Rt. 18 northbound and the Rt. 1 southbound ramp.

He was then seen running across the Rt. 1 ramp and into The Gardens at Raritan apartment complex on Paulus Boulevard in New Brunswick. Edwards ran into the parking lot of the Starbucks and Famous Dave's in New Brunswick, where he was taken into custody.

Police said that at East Brunswick headquarters, Edwards admitted to the July 21 robbery. Additionally, Edwards admitted to the following and was charged:

• On January 27, he allegedly stole a school bus located at Shoppers World in Loehmann’s Plaza parking lot. He was charged with theft of a motor vehicle.
• On February 2, he allegedly admitted to a purse-snatching from a woman walking by Hong Kong Supermarket, at 265 Rt. 18. He was charged with theft.
• On May 28, he assaulted a man walking on Rennee Road near Retro Fitness in Loehmann’s Plaza by sneaking up behind him and punching him in the head, police said. He was charged with simple assault.
• On July 18, he was charged with burglarizing a motor vehicle on Lake Avenue in East Brunswick where he took keys located inside the vehicle and stole another vehicle, cops said. He was charged with burglary and theft of motor vehicle.
• Edwards also admitted to a robbery of a taxi cab driver in New Brunswick, police said.

Edwards was remanded to the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center.