Morris Plains Police Arrest Two Men Accused of Robbing Deli in Bayonne, New Jersey
Police arrested and formally charged two men who allegedly robbed an Avenue A Deli in Bayonne, New Jersey. The two men suspected of committing the robbery are Meshach Whager, a 29-year-old man from Newark, and Tione C. Davis, a 35-year-old man from East Orange. They allegedly held up the Deli Delight located at 732 Ave. E at around 5:30 a.m. on December 8, 2017. According to authorities, one of the suspects walked into the deli while two women were inside starting work for the day. The man, who wore a ski mask over his face, brandished a handgun and threatened to shoot the victims. The women got on the floor while the suspect stole $120 in cash from the store register. He then ran out of the deli.
Bayonne police detectives investigated the robbery and reviewed security camera footage from outside the deli. That surveillance footage showed a second man standing outside the store and serving as a lookout during the robbery. Immediately after the robbery, the two suspects were picked up by a motor vehicle: a white Honda Accord. Bayonne police alerted police departments throughout NJ and asked if there had been similar reports of robberies elsewhere. Police Departments in Morris Plains, Middlesex Borough, and Springfield, as well as the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, all responded that there had been similar robberies in those areas.
Less than two weeks after the Bayonne robbery, Davis and Whager were involved in a car accident in Morris Plains, New Jersey. Morris Plains police searched the vehicle and reportedly found a handgun that matched the description of the firearm used in the Bayonne deli robbery. Police also searched data on the suspects’ cellphone and reportedly learned that they were in the area of the Deli Delight at the time of the December robbery. Both Davis and Whager were placed under arrest and taken into police custody. However, they were not formally charged in connection with the robbery until this week.
Penalties for Armed Robbery in Morris County & Hudson County, NJ
The Bayonne Police Department and the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office worked with other law enforcement agencies to investigate the deli robbery and make sure that enough evidence existed to file criminal charges against Davis and Whager. At the conclusion of the investigation, Bayonne Police Lt. Eric Amato issued a statement commending all of the agencies for taking “two armed and dangerous criminals off the streets.”
Now that Davis and Whager have been officially charged with robbery and weapons offenses, they face severe penalties if convicted. That’s because armed robbery is classified as a first degree felony under N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1 of the New Jersey Criminal Code. The statute specifically states that a person who uses a deadly weapon, threatens the use of force, or poses an immediate threat of bodily injury can be charged with first degree robbery. A conviction for first degree armed robbery could lead to Davis and Whager each being sentenced to 10-20 years in NJ State Prison.
Contact an Aggressive Morris County Robbery Lawyer Today
Travis J. Tormey is an experienced criminal attorney who defends clients against robbery charges in Morris Plains, Morristown, Parsippany-Troy Hills, Denville, and everywhere else in Morris County, New Jersey. If you’ve been charged with robbery or any other theft crime, contact Attorney Tormey today.