Officers Injured, Hospitalized After Fight With Shoplifters In Union County

LINDEN, NJ — Several Linden Police Officers were injured with one sent to a hospital following a fight with four Newark residents, who were trying to shoplift more than $5,500 worth of merchandise from a local department store, said police.

On Saturday, June 10, at about 9:50 p.m., Linden Police Officers were called to Kohls at 1901 E Edgar Road on reports of a shoplifting in progress.

The first officer got to the store and was immediately confronted by two suspects entering the vestibule. The officer tried to stop the suspects but was pushed to the ground during the struggle, said police.

The suspects ran from the store into a nearby car that drove from the store towards Route 1.

Officers found the car on Route 1 as it made a U-turn at the Phillips 66 Domestic Sales entrance. The car was stopped on Route 1 North just before the Interstate 278E entrance ramp.

As the officers approached the car the doors opened and two suspects got out. The suspects did not listen to repeated commands and began to walk from the scene. Officers confronted the suspects, who resisted the officers' attempts to detain them. The suspects then tried to get back into the car, said police.

Officers continued to struggle with the suspects and tried to get them back out of the car, said police.

One suspect was removed from the car, however, the three others continued to fight the officers, said police.

Officers used pepper spray on the suspects and then removed them from the car and placed them under arrest.

Three of the suspects were treated on scene for pepper spray exposure. One suspect was later treated at a local hospital for an unrelated medical event and subsequently released.

Several officers were injured during the incident, one of whom required further treatment at a local hospital. He has since been released, said police.

The suspects were identified by Kohl's employees and all of the stolen merchandise was returned.

Newark residents Isiah Banks, 30, and Lamont Ellis, 23, are charged with third-degree shoplifting, resisting arrest, and aggravated assault on a Police Officer. Banks is also charged with fourth-degree hindering.

Tanajah Loyal, 19, also of Newark, is charged with third-degree shoplifting and resisting arrest, as well as fourth-degree obstruction.

Shaquille Hargrove, 27, is charged with fourth-degree obstruction.

All four were remanded to the Union County Jail pending a scheduled appearance in Superior Court.

"I am very proud of the commitment shown by our Officers during these arrests, and I wish the Officers who were injured a full and quick recovery," said Police Chief David Hart. "I am hopeful that arrests like these will help deter these crimes and keep the organized shoplifting groups devastating our local stores out of Linden."

This incident remains under investigation, and anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Detective James Garrison at 908-474-8045. As a reminder, tips about this incident or any other crime can also be shared anonymously via email to crimetips@lpdnj.org.

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