2 South Orange Robberies Reported On Day After Christmas

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — A pair of separate robberies took place in South Orange on the day after Christmas, police say.

According to the South Orange Police Department, the robberies took place within 35 minutes of each other on Academy Street and South Orange Avenue. Keep updated with local public safety alerts at the Patch South Orange Facebook page.

Authorities provided the following statements about each incident.

SOUTH ORANGE AVENUE

“A Newark resident reported that he was robbed on Dec. 26 at approximately 4:35 p.m. while he was walking on South Orange Avenue near Ward Place. An unknown suspect, driving a red car approached the victim and asked to use his cell phone. When the victim leaned into open window of the vehicle to give assistance, the suspect grabbed his phone and drove away heading east on South Orange Avenue into Newark. The victim held onto the vehicle and was dragged for several feet before letting go. The victim suffered cuts and scratches to his hands and was provided medical attention by the rescue squad.”

According to police, the victim described the suspect as a dark-complexioned, 30-year-old black male with a full beard who was wearing a black-knit cap and a dark hoodie. The vehicle was described as a red, older model, four-door sedan.

ACADEMY STREET

“A South Orange resident reported that he was robbed on Dec. 26 at approximately 5:10 p.m. while he was walking on Academy Street near Milligan Place. An unknown suspect approached the victim and without warning, punched the victim in the chest, which knocked him to the ground. The suspect then grabbed the victim's cell phone and jumped into a white vehicle, which fled the scene heading south on Academy Street.”

According to police, the victim described the suspect as a black male, 5 feet 9 inches with a medium build, wearing red cargo pants, a grey baseball cap and a varsity style jacket that was “possibly blue.”

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