UPDATE: Point Beach Man Charged in Point Boro Gas Station Armed Robbery

A Point Beach man was arrested Thursday and charged with one count of first degree armed robbery and one count of making terroristic threats after allegedly using a replica handgun to hold up a gas station in Point Borough.

Police are accusing Hunter J. Spader, 23, Trenton Avenue, Point Beach, of holding up two gas station attendants who were working at Citgo at Bay Avenue and Route 88 in Point Borough, police said.

No one was injured at the gas station, which is open 24 hours, Larsen said.

The suspect's gun appeared real, but later turned out to be "an imitation gun," said Larsen, adding that he was still charged with armed robbery because he was using what appeared to be a real weapon to try to rob the gas station.

The robbery was reported by one of the attendants at 4:34 a.m. and the gas station lot was blocked off to traffic as police from both boroughs investigated, Larsen said.

Spader was transported to Ocean County jail Thursday afternoon.

"The attendant reported that the man had walked into the Citgo, holding a silver handgun, pointing it at them and demanded money," Larsen said. "The attendants said they had no money, the man continued making his demands and eventually left with obtaining any money."

Larsen said he could not say if the attendants truly had no money, citing the ongoing investigation.

When Borough police arrived at the scene, Spader had fled, but the attendants gave police a description of him and said he had fled in the direction of Gowdy Avenue.

Through the continued investigation, police found a vehicle linked to the suspect parked on Gowdy Avenue and also found the silver, replica handgun and clothing linked to the suspect, near the gun, at a residential property on Gowdy.

The Ocean County K-9 unit assisted with a blood hound.

Point Beach Officer Marc Distelcamp found the suspect on foot at Forman Avenue and Route 35 North, took him into custody and then released him to Point Borough police, said Borough Police Captain Richard Larsen.

The attendants had told police the man was between 5 feet, 11 inches and 6 feet tall and had his face partially covered, Larsen said.

Point Borough Police Lt. Todd Springsteen, Officer Chris Phillips and Officer Chuck Ackerman responded to the scene, interviewed the attendants and investigated with the help of Borough Detectives Joe Hynes and Ed Miller and Detective Lt. Adam Picca.

Point Beach Sgt. Bob Goessel and Officer Brian Spader also assisted.

The Ocean County Criminalistics Investigation Unit collected evidence at the gas station and the property on Gowdy.

Municipal Court Judge James Ligouri set bail at $100,000, with no 10 percent option.

Larsen said he is not releasing the names of the gas station attendants because they are victims, but he did say the men, 23 and 36 years old, are both Point Borough residents.

The gas station re-opened Thursday after police cleared the scene.