NJ Man Accused Of Robbing Driver, Pointing Gun At Another: Police

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — A New Jersey man has been arrested and charged in connection with a "spree of crimes" that took place on Tuesday morning, South Brunswick Police Chief Raymond Hayducka said.

Bilal Bellamy, 35, of Newark, was arrested and charged with armed robbery and multiple weapons possession charges in connection with the incidents, Hayducka said.

According to police, the series of crimes started at 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday when a man driving a Tesla on Catelli Road was confronted by someone driving a black Dodge Charger alongside him, who pointed a gun at him.

Following this interaction, police said the Tesla driver swerved away and drove off, but immediately called 911.

As officers were responding to the Tesla driver’s call, Hayducka said a second 911 caller reported that he was just robbed at gunpoint in the same area.

The victim told police that he was sitting in his car, which was parked on the street, when someone in a Dodge Charger pulled up next to him and robbed him.

Minutes later, Plainsboro Police received a 911 call about the same suspect pointing a firearm at a vehicle on Mapleton Road near the South Brunswick border.

As authorities were investigating these incidents, detectives learned that the suspect had committed three additional armed robberies within minutes of the South Brunswick crimes in Mercer County, and in one instance, fired a round off.

Using the Tesla’s video recording system, police said they were able to quickly recover images of the suspect and their vehicle to identify Bellamy.

According to South Brunswick Police Sgt. Mike Leung, the Tesla had an SD card in it that was set to “Sentry” mode, which allowed it to constantly be recording everything around it.

Once these images were recovered, NJ State Police, Phillipsburg Police and NJ State Parole were contacted, and in under two hours, Hayducka said law enforcement were able to track Bellamy to a home in Phillipsburg, where he was arrested.

After South Brunswick Police executed search warrants at the Phillipsburg home Bellamy was staying at, as well as the Dodge Charger in the driveway, they recovered a firearm, a wig, a mask, and a reflective vest that Bellamy was wearing at the time of the crimes.

Bellamy was lodged at the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Facility, where he awaits a bail hearing, police said.

“The modern technology of the Tesla, along with great teamwork, captured this suspect,” Hayducka said. “The random nature of the crimes and level of violence he displayed, it is tremendous work that he was arrested so quickly.”

Anyone with additional information regarding these incidents is asked to contact Detective Murphy at 732-329-4000 x 7486.