Police in Maplewood are investigating a commercial robbery in the Township Monday morning.
According to Maplewood Police Chief Jimmy DeVaul, at 12:10 a.m., dispatch received an emergency 9-1-1 call from Quick Check (1545 Springfield Ave) reporting they had just been robbed.
Chief DeVaul said patrols responded to the scene and contacted the victim/employee who reported an unknown male entered the store and appeared to wait until all other customers made their purchases and exited.
The suspect then approached the counter and asked for a carton of Newport cigarettes.
Chief DeVaul said the victim reported he placed ten packages of cigarettes on the counter and asked the suspect if he would be paying with cash or credit. The suspect then signaled toward his sweatshirt and replied, “I have a gun. Give me the cigarettes.”
The victim then placed the cigarettes, valued at approximately $100.00, in a brown paper bag and handed them to the male.
According to Chief DeVaul, while exiting the store with the proceeds, the suspect stated, “If you call the cops, I’ll come back and shoot you.”
The victim described the suspect as a male, approximately 40 years of age, 5’5” in height, with a scruff of facial hair, who wore black pants and a black hooded sweatshirt.
The suspect had a light-colored face mask with a hood over his head.
Chief DeVaul said the victim could not provide any further direction of flight and reported he did not have access to the store’s surveillance cameras.
An in-house review of Maplewood PD’s surveillance cameras shows a suspect matching the provided description exiting the store running eastbound on Springfield Ave at 12:03 a.m. and then continuing southbound through the rear parking lot of 1521 Springfield Ave. (Bank of America) toward Jacoby St.
Officers conducted a canvass of the area with negative results for anyone matching the description. Chief DeVaul said it is unknown, at this time, if a vehicle was involved in the incident.
Maplewood Fire Department was dispatched to the scene to evaluate the visibly distraught victim. The victim later refused further medical attention.