Cops: Said he was victim, but that was just a lie

Tuesday, December 16, 2008
By TOM SHORTELL
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

A 17-year-old Jersey City boy who told police he was robbed Sunday night was later identified as the robber of a gas station, reports said.

Responding to call about an armed robbery at the Gas Mart, at 1568 Kennedy Blvd., at 8:41 p.m., an attendant told police a man walked into the office with a black gun and told him to put his hands up, reports said.

The robber pulled $300 out of the attendant's pockets and fled north, reports said.

As police were taking the statement, other officers saw a 17-year-old boy running east on Neptune Avenue. The teen told police he had just been robbed by three men on Kennedy Boulevard, reports said.

The 17-year-old joined the officers in their cruiser and they searched the area for the alleged robbers. When the search proved negative, they officers took the teen to the gas station, believing the robberies might be related, reports said.

When they got to the gas station, the 17-year-old changed his story, saying he was with friends at the time of the robbery.

Police grew suspicious and called over the gas station attendant who immediately fingered the boy as the robber, reports said.

Police found $180 on the teenager, who told them where to find the black BB gun he used to commit the crime, reports said.

The youth as charged with robbery, possession of an weapon for unlawful purposes and unlawful possession of a weapon, reports said.