Teen is nabbed in $5G armed jewel heist

Saturday, July 26, 2008
By MICHAELANGELO CONTE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Jersey City police say they busted a 16-year-old armed robber and recovered a handgun early yesterday morning shortly after he stole a gold cross and chain encrusted with $5,000 worth of diamonds from a Downtown man.

The 16th Street boy was arrested in the Holland Gardens public housing complex and charged with robbery, eluding police, and weapons offenses after the 11:54 a.m. robbery at Erie and Fourth streets, reports said.

The 22-year-old Fifth Street resident flagged down police and told them he was walking to his car when two males approached, reports said. As he was giving a light to one of them, the other took out a semiautomatic handgun and put it to the back of his head, reports said. The gunman demanded his property and he handed over the necklace, reports said.

The cops drove the victim around the neighborhood and at 15th Street and Jersey Avenue, he said, "There they are," reports said. Both robbers ran when they saw the police car and the cops lost them but as other units arrived, the 16-year-old was spotted in the housing complex and arrested, reports said.

Police also found a handgun in the stairwell of a 16th Street building, reports said.