Man Faces Life In Prison For Violent Hillside Car Wash Robbery

HILLSIDE, NJ — A Pennsylvania man was found guilty for the violent 2015 robbery of a Hillside car wash and could face life in prison under the provisions of New Jersey’s “three strikes” law, which applies to defendants with multiple convictions associated with violent crimes.

Timothy Chambers, 51, of the borough of Delaware Water Gap, Pa., was convicted of a single count of first-degree robbery following a two-week trial before state Superior Court Judge Stuart Peim and a little more than five hours of jury deliberation.

Sentencing in this case has been scheduled for Feb. 16, 2018.

Chambers and another man entered Prestige Auto Wash on Liberty Avenue in Hillside around 2:30 p.m. on March 17, 2015 and asked the manager for change of $3, according to Union County Assistant Prosecutors Jessica Guarducci and Kathleen Dillon, who prosecuted the case.

Chambers followed the manager into his office, brandished a handgun and began trying to wrestle a bag containing money away from him, Guarducci and Dillon said.

Following a brief struggle, Chambers struck the manager over the head with his gun, grabbed the bag and fled the scene with the second suspect, according to the report.

Chambers was arrested one month later by Hillside Police Department. The other robbery suspect today remains unidentified and at large.

(Image via Shutterstock)

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