Three Men Arrested for Robbing Craigslist Sellers at Gunpoint

On Wednesday, Jan. 20, at 10:31 p.m., a caller notified police that she had just been robbed at gunpoint near the corner of Warwick Ave. and Center St. She and another individual were selling items on Craigslist and had arranged to meet the buyer at that location.

While they were parked on Warwick Avenue, a man approached the car and entered the backseat. He produced a sawed-off handgun and relieved them off their wallets, cash and the personal property they had agreed to sell. Two other men were reportedly standing outside the car while the robbery took place.

All three suspects then entered a car described as a dark GMC Envoy and took off east on Warwick Avenue. A description of the vehicle was broadcast to patrol units, and Officer Jared Adams observed a car matching that description moving fast down Center Street. He conducted a vehicle stop at the intersection of Center St. and South Orange Ave., and a positive identification of the suspects was ultimately made by the victims. The handgun was found on the person of one of the suspects, who had tried to conceal it in his pants. It was found to have been stolen out of Seattle, Wash.

The arrestees were identified as: Kirtis A. Holder, 21, of Irvington; Edwige B. Lorquet, Jr., 18, of Irvington; and Cecil D. Thomas, 18, of Irvington.

Charges are as follows: robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. Holder was also charged with possession of marijuana.

Bail was set at $250,000 for Lorquet and Thomas and $350,000 for Holder. They were to be sent to Essex County Jail.