By: Richard L. Smith
Armed robberies targeting gas stations and businesses have put police departments in Bergen and Passaic Counties on high alert this morning.
The crime spree began just before 5 a.m. at the BP Gas Station on Route 3, where an individual in a dark-colored Kia Sorento brandished a handgun at employees, fleeing with an undisclosed amount of cash.
Reports say, these suspects are also implicated in a similar heist at an undisclosed location on Route 3 in Clifton.
By 5:05 a.m., the wave of crime hit the Bergen County town of Hasbrouck Heights. The Shell gas station at 220 Franklin Avenue fell victim to an armed robbery, where employees were threatened by suspects in a black vehicle demanding cash.
In Little Ferry, police were called to investigate a gas station robbery on Route 46. The suspects in this case match the description of those involved in the Clifton robbery.
Police are connecting these incidents, suspecting the same group is responsible for the morning's series of robberies across the region.
Business owners are advised to exercise caution during early hours.
Fortunately, no physical injuries have been reported in any of the incidents. The investigation continues as authorities seek to apprehend the perpetrators behind this alarming string of robberies.
