Crime & Safety

Woman Robbed At Gunpoint Walking Home From Union Bus Stop: Police

Rasheed Waller, 39, of Newark was charged with armed robbery and possession of the gun following a Union Police investigation.

UNION, NJ — A woman was robbed at gunpoint while walking home from a bus stop in the Vauxhall section of Union Township on Sunday, police report.

At around 4:25 p.m., the woman said she was walking home on Waldorf Place from a bus stop when a car pulled up to her and a passenger got out, pointed a gun at her and took her purse which contained her cell phone and other valuables.

The man got back into the car and fled the area, according to Union Police.

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The woman continued home and called the police from her house. Officers retraced her steps and found the location of the robbery — where she dropped her coffee in the street, according to the report.

At that location, Officer Mike Cocca found that a resident's home surveillance system had recorded the crime. Officers were also able to track the location of the victim’s missing cell phone to Badger Avenue in Newark, according to police.

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Street Crimes Unit Officers Rob Kiselow and Carthaniel Crum went to Badger Avenue where they saw a man who resembled the suspect in the video.

Officers stopped the man — later identified as Rasheed Waller, 39, from Badger Ave., Newark — who was found to have warrants from Union Police Department.

The victim identified Waller as the person who robbed her and he was arrested.

Waller didn't have the gun used in the robbery on him but did have the victim’s bus pass in his pant's pocket, police report.

Detective Odete Mirao got a search warrant and went to Waller's home but before going inside officers heard commotion in the apartment.

Officers William Young and Joe Peterson saw a window open up and a man toss a backpack onto the roof of the house next door, police report.

Using a ladder from the Newark Fire Department, officers were able to get on the roof where the backpack was found. Inside the backpack was a Rohm .38 Special handgun that was fully loaded, police reported.

The gun looked like the one used in the crime, police report.

A search of the home found other stolen items from the victim, according to the report.

Mirao is still trying to identify the car used in the crime and identify the getaway driver.

Waller was charged with armed robbery and possession of a gun and is being held at the Union Police Department headquarters until he is sent to the Union County Jail, where he will have a bail hearing.

(Image via Shutterstock)

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