Bear Spray Attack During Sunglass Hut Robbery Under Investigation In BurlCo: Police

EVESHAM, NJ — A Sunglass Hut employee was attacked with bear spray while two people stole more than $10,000 in merchandise on Monday, authorities said.

The robbery occurred at the Sunglass Hut store on Route 73 in Evesham, police said. One suspect was later arrested, while the second has not been identified as of Friday afternoon.

Two female suspects entered the store just before 12:45 p.m. Monday and began stealing high-value sunglasses, police said. When an employee tried to call police, one of the suspects sprayed her with bear spray, according to law enforcement.

Bear spray, used to deter attacks by aggressive bears and wildlife, can cause permanent eye damage. Another suspect deployed it while robbing an Evesham restaurant in 2023, police said. Read more: Bear-Spray Attacker Found, Linked To 3 South Jersey Robberies: Police

The suspects, who wore hats and face coverings, fled Sunglass Hut before police arrived. They stole about 20 pairs of luxury sunglasses valued at over $10,000, police said.

Through further investigation, police identified one of the suspects as Allesha Taylor-Jones, 29, of Delaware. Taylor-Jones was found with evidence linking her to the crime when she was arrested in Delaware this week, police said.

Taylor-Jones was charged with first-degree robbery, third-degree aggravated assault, third-degree theft, and multiple weapons offenses. She's been jailed in Delaware as officials work to extradite her to New Jersey.

Attorney information for Taylor-Jones wasn't immediately available on Friday.

The investigation, and efforts to identify the second suspect, remain ongoing. Anyone with information regarding this incident can call the Evesham Township Police Department at 856-983-1116, call the department's confidential tip line at 856-983-4699, or email Det. Sgt. Gary Borbidge at borbidgeg@eveshampd.org