NJ Supermarket Clerk Pulls Out Machete During Argument Over Plastic Bag Cost: Police

BRIDGETON, NJ — A South Jersey grocery store clerk is facing charges after authorities say he brandished a machete while arguing with customers over the charge of a plastic bag.

The quarrel broke out just before 3 p.m. Tuesday at Cottage Market, a small supermarket in Bridgeton.

The store clerk, Melvin F. Rodriguez-Duran, pulled out a machete while arguing with two women over the added charge of a plastic bag, police said. The victims left the store unhurt.

Rodriguez-Duran, 29, of Bridgeton, was charged with weapon possession and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. He was released on his own recognizance.