Two Men Arrested For Armed Robbery Spree In Somerset County

Franklin Township police announced the arrest of two men involved in a recent spree of armed robberies and one woman who was with those men during the time of their arrest.

Those arrested were:

• Nicholas P. Zahirny, 23, of Jersey City (pictured left)
  
• Joseph I. Amante, 28, of Franklin Township (pictured right)
  
• Emily MacCarter, 23, of Brick Township

Around 12:25 a.m. on July 23, a patrol officer spotted a gray Pontiac Grand Am linked to the recent armed robbery of the 6Ten Convenience Store and Deli, located on Hamilton Street. He observed the vehicle slowly driving around the store’s parking lot, according to the Somerset County Prosecutors Office.

According to authorities, the officer called in assistance and proceed to conduct a suspect/vehicle approach. It was determined that two of the three occupants of the vehicle were persons of interest regarding prior armed robberies within the township. The weapon allegedly used in the July 14 robberies, a black semi-automatic airsoft gun, was also located in the vehicle.

Police say Zahirny is responsible for two armed robberies reported on July 14:

6Ten Convience

• Zahirny allegedly committed an armed robbery at the 6Ten Convenience Store and Deli at 12:00 a.m. (midnight). During this incident he robbed a female employee at gunpoint and took an undisclosed amount of currency and cigarettes.

D-Mart

• Zahirny is also allegedly responsible for armed robbery of the D-Mart Convenience Store located on Somerset Street. At 9:46 p.m. he robbed a male employee at gunpoint of an undisclosed amount of currency and cigarettes.

Police said Amante allegedly operated the vehicle that was used during both July 14 robberies.

“The detectives ascertained that at the time of their arrests yesterday, defendants Zahirny and Amante were planning another armed robbery of the 6Ten Convenience Store and Deli when they were interrupted by police and ultimately arrested,” according to The Somerset County Prosecutor‘s Office.

The investigation also revealed that on July 22 Zahirny and Amante committed a burglary and theft of a Carmen Street residence.

Zahirny was charged with:

• 2 counts of Armed Robbery, 1st Degree
• Conspiracy to Commit Robbery, 1st Degree
• Burglary, 3rd Degree, Theft, 3rd Degree
• Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, 4th Degree
• Possession of a Hypodermic Needle a Disorderly Persons Offense

Amante was charged with:

• 2 counts of Armed Robbery, 1st Degree
• Conspiracy to Commit Robbery, 1st Degree
• Burglary, 3rd Degree, Theft, 3rd Degree
• Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, 4th Degree
• Tampering with Physical Evidence, 4th Degree
• Possession of a Hypodermic Needle, a Disorderly Persons Offense.

Both defendants were lodged in the Somerset County Jail with bail set at $250,000 cash only, for each defendant, according to the prosecutor‘s office.

MacCarter was charged with Possession of a Hypodermic Needle, a Disorderly Persons Offense and she was released on her own recognizance.

Prosecutor Soriano, Chief Fitzgerald and Chief Roberts request anyone with information regarding these incidents to contact:

• The Franklin Township Police Department at (732) 873-5533
• The Somerset County Prosecutors Office Major Crimes Unit at (908) 231-7100
• The Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477)

Also, online at www.888577tips.org or www.scpo.net and click on either “Crime Stoppers” or “TIPS HOTLINE”. All anonymous Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.