Police Arrest Two in Relation to South Orange, Maplewood Robberies

Police have arrested two men in connection with recent robberies in Maplewood and South Orange.

Detectives from the Maplewood Police Department and South Orange Police Department served an arrest warrant on Jaquan Hatcher, 19, of Leslie Street, Newark, in a joint pre-dawn operation on Friday, August 5.

Hatcher was arrested for his alleged involvement in a string of armed robberies which occurred in both Maplewood and South Orange on July 22 and July 28, respectively.

Detectives working the case identified the make and model of the vehicle used in the robberies from locations where the suspects attempted to pass stolen credit cards.

A break in the case came when the Hillside Police Department recovered the suspect vehicle and arrested the driver, Phillip A. Rumph, 19, of Newark, in relation to an armed robbery which had occurred in their jurisdiction during late on Sunday, July 31.

The arrest of Rumph led detectives to Hatcher. Both Hatcher and Rumph were identified by the victims in both the Maplewood and South Orange robberies and were subsequently charged in both jurisdictions with armed robbery; conspiracy to commit armed robbery; weapons possession; and weapons possession with an unlawful purpose.

According to Maplewood Captain Paul Conlon, "The arrests are a result of detectives from both Maplewood and South Orange Police Departments working together to make the apprehensions."

The lead detective in the case for the Maplewood Police Department was Detective Dan Lenzo. The lead detective in South Orange was Detective Mark Garrett who was assisted by Detective Michael Bradley.  

Hatcher is currently held in the Essex County Jail on $500,000 bail and Rumph is being held in Union County Jail.