By: Richard L. Smith
A morning burglary at a Newark check-cashing business quickly escalated into an armed carjacking nearby, according to information released by the Newark Police Department.
Early social media posts from influencers had incorrectly placed the incident in Belleville, but authorities confirmed both events happened in Newark.
The situation began around 9:05 a.m. Tuesday when a man entered a check-cashing business at 259 Mayor Kenneth A. Gibson Boulevard, made his way into a back office, and took a large amount of cash before escaping into a waiting vehicle.
Minutes later, detectives say a second suspect connected to the burglary confronted a woman who was getting into her car on Mt. Pleasant Avenue.
The man pointed a gun at her and stole her vehicle before taking off.
Newark Police later found the abandoned car in the 400 block of South 12th Street. No injuries were reported in either event.
According to Newark Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda, both cases remain under investigation as detectives work to track down the individuals involved.