By: Richard L. Smith
A brazen armed robbery near a Hackensack intersection has led to multiple arrests, including a teenager and several adults now facing robbery, weapons, and drug charges.
The incident unfolded on the evening of April 27, 2025, when suspects in a white Mercedes-Benz pulled alongside a parked vehicle near East Pleasantview Avenue and Kipp Street. 
Two suspects emerged—one from the car and another from the trunk, both reportedly carrying handguns. One victim was chased on foot before the suspects made off with a watch, chain, and bag.
According to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, the suspects were later identified as Omar I. Cetiner, 21; Islam A. Salaam, 20; and Alan A. Valdez-Metz, 29. A 17-year-old from Paterson was also charged for participating in the robbery.
As the investigation unfolded over several months, detectives determined Salaam served as a lookout while Valdez-Metz helped coordinate the crime.
Officials said Cetiner was arrested on May 8 outside his Hackensack apartment. A search of his home turned up suspected marijuana, leading to the separate arrest of 23-year-old Michael N. Fenner on drug charges.
The juvenile suspect was taken into custody during a SWAT-assisted raid on May 29, while Salaam and Valdez-Metz were arrested in June and July, respectively.
Cetiner remains in the Bergen County Jail and faces additional charges for allegedly using a minor in the commission of the crime, as well as for drug distribution.
The investigation was led by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Squad and Hackensack Police, with help from the county’s SWAT team.