Nabbed after chase at Square
Friday, October 31, 2008

Cops on patrol to combat a string of robberies in Journal Square chased down a teenager armed with a pellet gun Wednesday night, according to Jersey City police reports said.

Four plainclothes officers on a surveillance detail checked a report of two men acting suspiciously at Magnolia Avenue and West Street at 9:30 p.m., reports said.

The men were walking quickly toward the PATH station and looking back over their shoulders, and one of the two, 18-year-old Jonathan Gomez, was reaching inside his jacket as if holding a weapon, reports said.

Two of the cops approached with badges displayed as the pair crossed Summit Avenue, ran into the station and split up, police said.

Gomez ran through the bus platform and out onto Pavonia Avenue, where he was tackled and cops recovered the pellet gun, designed to imitate a Baretta semiautomatic pistol, reports said.

Gomez was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon and resisting arrest, reports said.

Police arrested four men Monday night in an attempted robbery on Cottage Street and have been investigating an uptick in robberies and burglaries around the Square.

PAUL KOEPP