Impersonating mall security guards, two men rob teen, police say

by N. Clark Judd
Tuesday January 22, 2008, 1:14 PM

Two men impersonating security guards tricked a 16-year-old shopper at Newport Centre Mall in Jersey City into following them outside to be patted down as a suspected shoplifter -- then they stole his wallet, reports said.

According to reports, two approximately 20-year-old men approached their teenage target around 3:40 yesterday afternoon as he walked out of the Radio Shack in the mall.

They told the Magnolia Avenue teen they were undercover store security, had been following him since he was in GameStop, and wanted him to come outside with them so they could check him for stolen goods, reports said.

But when they reached the sidewalk outside, one of the two pressed a knife to the teen's back while the other took $67 from his wallet, according to reports.

"You been had!" they told the teen, and disappeared south as he called his mother, reports said.

Reports said police are reviewing security footage of the incident.