A brazen armed robbery of a scrap medal auto parts shop has several Essex County men behind bars.
Police say that five suspects entered The Bayway Scrap Metal on the 600 block of Amboy Avenue around 3PM this afternoon. The suspects reportedly produced an AK-47 type assault riffle and at least three different handguns, robbing the establishment of an unknown amount of cash and a large number of catalytic converters, placing them into the U-Haul (2006 Ford) truck.
Police say that the men then robbed a customer of cash, cell, and then carjacking his 2001 Ford Pickup truck. Both vehicles fled the scene shortly after according to police.
Police caught up with the vehicle, giving pursuit in the area of North Ave. and Rt. 1&9 when the suspects begin to fire their weapons at the pursuing officers. The officers fired their weapons back in the direction of the suspects vehicle. Police say that the Uhaul truck crashed into a marked police cruiser where the suspects jumped out and begin to flee the scene.
Police swiftly apprehended Steven Chambers, 27, Newark
Sharod Saunders, 39, Newark
Michael Howard, 22, Newark and
Rafael Clemons, 26, Irvington. One suspect is still at-large according to police.
Police recovered a rifle and three handguns as well as approximately $4000 in cash and several catalytic converters. Police said that the carjacked Ford pickup was recovered on Clarkson Avenue.
There were no reported injuries.
An investigation is ongoing and charges are pending against all of the suspects at this time police said.