Police Describe Three Men Who Robbed Liquor Store

Lawrence Township police have released descriptions of the three men who robbed Larry’s Wine and Spirits Monday night (June 27).

During the holdup, first reported about 2 o'clock this morning on Lawrenceville Patch, one of the robbers fired a shot at a store employee but the bullet missed the worker.

All three robbers were black. The first man – who was armed with the gun – was 20 to 30 years old and had a medium build. He was 5 feet 5 to 8 inches tall and wearing a blue sweatshirt, blue jeans and gloves.

The second robber was 20 to 40 years old, had a stocky build, and was between 5 feet 10 inches and 6 feet tall. He was wearing a baseball hat, black shirt and blue jeans. The third man had a medium build and was said to be between 5 feet 10 inches and 6 feet 2 inches tall, wearing a baseball hat, black shirt, blue jeans and a red bandana.

It was 9:45 p.m. Monday when police were alerted to the holdup at the liquor store in the 1100 block of Brunswick Avenue, at the corner of Pine Street, on Lawrence Township’s border with Trenton.

One employee told arriving officers that he was working behind the store’s sales counter when the first robber came up from behind him and pointed a handgun at him, according to Lt. Charles Edgar, police department spokesman.

The gunman took money from the employee, Edgar said. He said the other two robbers then entered the store. Robber No. 2 approached a second employee and demanded money, which that employee surrendered, he said.

Robber No. 3, meanwhile, grabbed several bottles of liquor and wine, he said.

During the holdup, a third employee “scuffled” with one of the robbers. The gunman fired a shot in the direction of that employee, but the bullet missed him and instead hit some bottles, according to Edgar and township Police Chief Daniel Posluszny.

While he was not wounded by the bullet, the third employee did suffer a sizeable cut to his forehead when he was stuck by a bottle wielded by Robber No. 2, Edgar and the chief related.

The three robbers then fled the store with the bottles and an undisclosed amount of cash.

Lawrence Township police, aided by officers from Ewing Township and Trenton, searched the neighborhood around the liquor store. A police dog was used to track the robbers’ scents.

The dog led police to an address in the Tiffany Woods development off Spruce Street, Edgar said. Officers surrounded the house and “locked down” the entire development as a precaution.

Officers eventually searched the home but did not locate any suspects inside, according to Edgar.   

One man was taken into custody during the neighborhood search but he is not a suspect in the robbery, Edgar said. He said Randy Adams, 22, of the 1400 block of Princeton Avenue, Trenton, was taken into custody because he was found to be wanted in connection with an outstanding warrant from Trenton.

Adams was one of two men in a car that police stopped late Monday night in the 1600 block of Princeton Avenue because the men fit the descriptions of the robbers, Edgar said. He said police concluded neither man was involved in the holdup but a background check revealed that Adams was wanted in Trenton, so he was taken into custody.

The robbery is under investigation by Detective Kevin Reading Jr. and Officer Andres Mejia. Police ask anyone with information about the crime to call them at (609) 896-1111.