Police Arrest Suspect in Armed Robbery of Essex County Restaurant

The suspect in the Dec. 10 robbery of a popular Montclair restaurant has been arrested according to police.

Dennis Royal, 49, of Newark, was arrested on Dec. 13 by New Jersey State Police in Irvington, according to Montclair Police. State Police encountered Royal in Irvington and discovered he had open warrants out of Montclair and subsequently arrested the man. Royal was in possession of a handgun at the time of his arrest.

The robbery occurred at Cars Restaurant, an eatery located on 150 Valley Road in Montclair, on Dec. 10. police responded to an alarm and a 911 call from the restaurant. Employees and customers at Cars Restaurant claimed to be victims of a robbery at gunpoint.

Police said the man walked into the establishment wearing a ski mask and demanded an employee open the register. The employee was unable to open the register and the men reached into his waistband, exposing the grip of a silver handgun. The suspect then stole $107 in cash from a 19-year-old male customer and fled, Montclair police said.

No injuries were reported in the robbery. Montclair Detectives identified Royal as the armed robbery suspect later that day.

Royal was charged with robbery and weapon possession charges, police said.

Photo courtesy of the Montclair Police Department