Police Apprehend Juvenile Robbery Suspects

On Friday at about 10:06 p.m., a 24-year-old man walking out of the Seton Hall gates at Wilden Place was reportedly approached by teenage black males with white shirts and long hair. One produced a handgun and relieved the victim of about $200 in cash, according to Police Chief James Chelel.

Police officers responded and began a brief foot pursuit of the suspects in Ivy Hill Park in Newark, where the first suspect, who was found to have cash and two small bags of marijuana on his person, was apprehended by Officer Stephen Dolinac. The search was continued by numerous other officers, and a second suspect was found under a car on Milton Place in South Orange. The third was found a short distance from there, and a black pellet gun was later found in Ivy Hill Park.

Two of the suspects are 16, and the third is 15; all hail from Newark. They were charged with robbery, possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and conspiracy and were sent to the Essex County Youth House.

Police also responded to an attempted robbery on Sunday. At about 6:44 p.m., a 28-year-old woman was walking east on South Orange Avenue near South Stanley Road when she came upon a group of six black males and three black females. The males walked away, but the females—who were unknown to the victim—punched her in the face and attempted to take her headphones and iPhone, but she fought them off.

The suspects haven't been apprehended at this time, but South Orange police are working the case with the East Orange Police Department, according to Chief Chelel.