Off-Duty Fair Lawn Police Officer Assaulted By Shoplifter

FAIR LAWN, N.J. — An off-duty police captain caught a shoplifter in CVS who attempted to escape the store and assaulted the officer in the process, police said.

Capt. Robert Kneer was off-duty and shopping in CVS at 12:25 a.m. Aug. 25 when was a shoplifting occurring in the store; when he tried to stop the suspect, Richard Cosme, 47, tried to run and Kneer attempted to stop him, police said.

Cosme hit Kneer and ran outside to a 2014 Nissan Juke as police arrived in the parking lot, police said.

Cosme and the Juke's driver, Francisco Aguilera, 43, of Clifton, were arrested at the scene and a passenger, Antonio Gomez, 34, of Paterson, ran away, police said. Gomez was found on Morlot Avenue with stolen merchandise in his pocket, police said.

The vehicle and license plates were reported stolen out of Totowa and police found evidence of drug use inside it, authorities said.

Cosme was charged with robbery, aggravated assault on a police officer, receiving stolen property, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a hypodermic needle, and possession of a stolen motor vehicle, police said. He was sent to Bergen County Jail on $75,000 bail, authorities said.

Aguilera was charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle, receiving stolen property, possession of drug paraphernalia, and several motor vehicle violations; he was later released, police said.

Gomez was released after being charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle, receiving stolen property, shoplifting, and possession of a hypodermic needle; he was released after being charged, police said.

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