Police arrested a man who allegedly robbed the Best Western hotel in Rockaway Township, NJ.
According to law enforcement, the 27-year-old suspect attempted to take cash from a register situated behind the hotel’s front desk. When a female clerk saw the theft and tried to stop the suspect, the suspect allegedly brandished a pellet gun and pointed it at the clerk. At the time, the clerk believed the pellet gun was an actual handgun.
The suspect reportedly got away with $324 in cash taken from the register.
Rockaway Township police were called to the scene to investigate. The clerk gave police a description of the suspect and also told investigators that the suspect was a “frequent guest” at the motel.
Police officers used the information to locate the 27-year-old suspect the following day. When Rockaway police found the suspect, he allegedly had the pellet gun. Police identified the pellet gun as a black Walther P99.
The suspect was placed under arrest and charged with armed robbery and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
Police also reportedly found the suspect in possession of cocaine. As a result, the suspect was also charged with possession of cocaine.
While he was in the process of being arrested, the suspect allegedly made incriminating admissions to police.
After the suspect was arrested, he was taken to the Morris County Correctional Facility in Morristown, NJ. The suspect was initially being held at the jail on a $200,000 bail amount.
The suspect later appeared in Morris County Superior Court for a bail review hearing. The superior court judge decided to lower the suspect’s bail amount to $125,000, but it requires full cash payment.
For more information about this case, view the NJ.com article entitled “Man Accused of Armed Robbery at Motel Was Occasional Guest, Report Says.”