Police: Man Called in Phony Armed Robbery to Morristown Cops, Then Lied About It

A Dover man was arrested Tuesday morning after allegedly calling 911 to report an armed robbery that never happened, Morristown police said.

At 11:09 a.m., Morristown police were dispatched to the area of Abbet Avenue and Ridgedale Avenue for a report of a person who had just been robbed at gunpoint, Lt. Stuart Greer said. Officers from Morristown and Morris Township police departments responded to the area.

A description of the victim and the suspect were both given to police, Greer said, and because of that, a 25-year-old man from Victory Gardens, found walking on Ridgedale Avenue near the Morris Township border was detained as the investigation continued, police said.

Patrols traveling on Ridgedale Avenue noted another man walking while speaking on his cellular phone, and saw him a short time later running on LaFayette Avenue, Greer said. The man, Joseph Columbo, of Dover, was stopped by police and questioned, Greer said.

Columbo told police he had no involvement in the alleged armed robbery, but police were able to find the man had called 911 and reported that he was robbed at gunpoint, Greer said.

An investigation revealed the armed robbery never actually happened and no weapon was ever shown, Greer said. The two men had a verbal dispute and there was never any danger to the public, Greer said.

The man from Victory Gardens was released and Columbo was charged creating a false public alarm and released pending a court appearance.