Former Lacey Burger King Worker Charged In Late Night Robbery

LACEY TOWNSHIP, NJ - Lacey police have arrested a former Burger King employee and charged him with the late night robbery of the restaurant back in November, Police Chief Michael C. DiBella said.

The robbery happened at 12:30 on Nov. 26. at the eatery in the Lacey Mall. The night shift manager told police that he was locking the building up for the night he was confronted by a man with his face covered who demanded the day's deposits, the chief said.

When the manager told him he didn't have any cash, the man brandished what appeared to be a black, semi-automatic handgun and threatened to shoot him. The manager handed over a deposit back containing $678 and the suspect fled north toward Musket Road, DiBella said.

The suspect was described as a thin white male, possibly of Middle Eastern decent, between 20 and 30. Video surveillance, phone records, and GPS coordinates from cellular towers were used to identify a suspect consistent with the description provided by the manager.

Detective Sam Della Sala arrested David Ghalee, 20, of Marne Highway, Mount Laurel on April 4 and charged him with the robbery. Ghalee once lived in Forked River, and was a former Burger King employee back in 2015, DiBella said.

Ghalee was charged with first degree robbery, theft of moveable property, unlawful possession of a handgun, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. He was served with his complaints at the Burlington County Correctional Facility, where is he is already lodged on numerous counts of commercial burglaries that occurred in Maple Shade, Evesham, and Hainesport, the chief said.

Ghalee is being held in the Burlington County Correctional Facility without bail. He could face 10 to 20 years in prison for the robbery if convicted, DiBella said.

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