Armed Robber In Newark Hit Victim With Gun, Police Say

NEWARK, NJ — An armed robber struck a victim in the head with a gun and fled the scene of the crime in a stolen car earlier this week, Newark police announced Thursday.

The Newark Department of Public Safety said police continue to search for the person who robbed a victim at gunpoint at 2:20 p.m. on the 400-block of Lafayette Street on Sunday.

Police released the following statement about the robbery:

“The suspect, brandishing a weapon, got out of a stolen vehicle with an unidentified male and demanded money. When the victim didn’t have any cash, the armed suspect struck the victim in the head with the handle of the gun, and took his personal belongings. Both men fled in the vehicle, traveling west on Lafayette Street toward Merchant Street. The vehicle, reported stolen on Feb. 5, was later recovered later.”

Police released a surveillance photo taken at the scene of the robbery (see below). Authorities said the man depicted in the photo (Suspect #1) is about 5 feet 8 inches with a thin build, wearing a black Adidas sweatsuit with a hood. A second male suspect – not shown in the photo – has a thin build and was wearing dark-colored clothing and white Jordan sneakers.

Authorities said anyone with information can contact the Police Division’s 24-hour Crime Stopper tip line at 1-877-NWK-TIPS (1-877-695- 8477). Anonymous tips can also be made using the Police Division’s website or its smartphone app.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.