‘Peanut Butter Cup Bandit’ Pleads Guilty In New Jersey

NEWARK, NJ — A Newark man has pleaded guilty to robbing the same 7-Eleven three times in four days, according to local authorities.

His alleged target? Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, prosecutors say.

According to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, Idris Allen, 38, of Newark pleaded guilty in New Jersey Superior Court last week to first-degree armed robbery in connection with three robberies that occurred at the same 7-Eleven on the 700 block of Broad Street in Newark.

Each robbery was captured on surveillance video, prosecutors said.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, Allen is expected to be sentenced to seven years in state prison. He must serve 85 percent of his sentence before he is eligible for parole, prosecutors said.

Sentencing is scheduled for April 24.

According to prosecutors:

• On Dec. 8, 2015, Allen entered the 7-Eleven, went to the candy isle and stole several packages of candy. The shift manager ran to the door and locked it, demanding Allen turn over the items, at which point Allen took out a knife and demanded the shift manager “get out of the way.”
• On Dec. 10, 2015, Allen entered the same store, went to the candy isle, took merchandise and when confronted by two male employees, brandished a knife and escaped.
• On Dec. 11, 2015, just after midnight, Allen entered the store and stole several Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. When confronted by a female employee, Allen threatened the victim, pulled a knife and waved it in the air. He left the store soon after the encounter.

About 14 hours after his Reese’s Peanut Butter theft on Dec. 11, Allen – who was wearing the same clothing from the robbery the night before - came back to the 7-Eleven. He went to the back of the store, took merchandise and left, only to be followed by the shift manager from the first robbery, prosecutors said.

The manager eventually alerted the police and helped to identify Allen when officers arrived, prosecutors said.

Police arrested Allen directly across the street from the Downtown Newark Police Precinct on Broad Street after he attempted to discard his clothes in a nearby building, prosecutors said.

Allen had a knife in his possession when taken into custody, prosecutors stated.

Main Photo: Flickr Commons