Pair Robbed Wayne Jewelry Store, Tried To Fly To Florida: Police

WAYNE, NJ — A man and a woman robbed a township jewelry store with a shotgun Tuesday and one of them was later caught waiting to board a plane to Florida, police said.

Emily Lopazanski, 34, of Fords, and Marc Niedle, 30, of Mountainside, walked into Massola Jewelers on Preakness Avenue Tuesday morning with a shotgun, said Detective Capt. Laurence Martin.

Lopazanski allegedly sprayed mace in the owner's and his son's faces and they later struggled with her inside and outside of the store, Martin said.

Police received a 911 call about the robbery at 11:15 a.m.; Lt. Robert Simpson was in the area and responded to the store to find Lopazanski struggling with the men, Martin said.

Wayne Police detectives and the Passaic County Sheriff's Department Crime Scene Unit responded to the jewelry store and processed it for evidence. They identified Niedle as the other suspect and began searching for him, the captain said. He fled the scene just before police arrived.

Niedle was later taken into custody at Newark Airport with the help of the Mountainside and Port Authority Police departments, Martin said. Niedle was waiting to board a flight to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Police found several white zip ties in Lopazanski's pocket, which are used to tie people up, Martin said.

Lopazanski, 34, and Niedle were both charged with two counts of robbery, aggravated assault with a weapon, possession of a rifle, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. Niedle was also charged with conspiracy.

"We would like to express our sincerest appreciation and thanks to all the law enforcement partners and agencies that assisted in this fast moving case that was solved within 12 hours of the robbery," Martin said.

Email daniel.hubbard@patch.com

Photos: Images of the armed robbery taken from surveillance cameras inside Massola Jewelers and Emily Lopazanski, 34, and Marc Niedle, 30. (Wayne Police Department)