Teen Charged With Armed Robbery In Hazlet Restaurant Incident

HAZLET, NJ — A Middletown youth, 17, was arrested by Hazlet detectives Wednesday after a search of his house yielded evidence, including a loaded handgun, from an armed robbery March 18 in Hazlet, police said.

On that date, the suspect entered a Chinese-food restaurant in town and confronted four juveniles who were patrons, police said.

The male suspect is accused of assaulting one of the juveniles and stealing his cell phone and then attempting to steal the cell phone of another, according to police.

During the course of the incident, the accused dropped a handgun onto the floor, police said in a news release. After picking up the gun, he left the scene in a vehicle driven by his 16-year-old girlfriend, police said. A later investigation revealed the identities of the couple.

The male juvenile was charged with first-degree armed robbery, second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, second-degree possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, third-degree resisting arrest, two counts of fourth-degree aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and disorderly persons offense of simple assault, police said.

The suspect was placed in the Middlesex County Youth Detention Center, pending a future hearing, according to police.