Fort Lee Police Arrest Two for Robbery After Pursuit into NYC
Fort Lee Police Department
Press Release
Date prepared: 04/3/2018
Prepared by: Captain Matthew Hintze
Date of Incident: 04/02/2018
Time of Incident: 0201 hours
Type of Incident: Armed Robbery
Location of Incident: Fort Lee, NJ
Actors:
Actor # 1: Shawn Harewood
Actor # 2: Jonathan Ricketts
Actor # 3: Unknown Male Outstanding
Actor’s Status: Harewood and Rickets are currently at New York City Central Booking Manhattan, Pending Extradition.
Suspect Photos:Not available.
Victim:
Victim # 1: Safaree Samuels
Victim # 2:Corey Bryant
Description and Details of Incident:
On Monday, April, 2, 2018 at approximately 2:01 am, the Fort Lee Police Department received a report of an armed robbery. The victims, Safaree Samuels and Corey Bryant, stated they were ordered to the ground by two actors who held them at gun point. Samuels and Bryant stated the actors stole in excess of $183,000 in jewelry and cash before fleeing the area on foot.
While in route to the scene, Police Officers Patrick Cillo and Natalie Mateus observed a black Cadillac Escalade travelling without a rear or front license plate affixed to the vehicle and without its headlights illuminated just blocks away from the attempted robbery. The Escalade made a sharp U-Turn in the roadway and proceeded towards the entrance of the upper level to the George Washington Bridge.
The officers attempted to initiate a motor vehicle stop by activating their overhead lights and siren. The driver refused to stop and entered the upper level of the George Washington Bridge, eluding the pursuing officers. Officers continued to pursue the vehicle across the George Washington Bridge into New York City. Fort Lee Police Communications Center notified the Port Authority Police Department and the New York City Police Department that Fort Lee police officers were attempting to stop a vehicle believed to be involved in an armed robbery.
While exiting the George Washington Bridge onto the Henry Hudson Parkway South ramp, the Escalade lost control, striking the concrete divider. The Escalade became disabled and came to a full stop at the West 158th exit. Three occupants jumped out of the disabled Escalade and fled the area, crossing numerous lanes of traffic into a wooded area. A description of the fleeing actors were given to the Port Authority Police Department and New York City Police Department. Two of the actors were apprehended and placed under arrest by the New York City Police Department.
Shawn Harewood and Jonathan Ricketts were charged with 1st Degree Robbery (N.J.S 2C:15-1a (2) and are currently in custody in New York State awaiting extradition to New Jersey. One suspect remains at large. Additional charges are pending as the investigation continues.
The Fort Lee Police department would to thank the Port Authority Police Department, New York City Police Department, and the Bergen County Prosecutors Office for their assistance. This is an ongoing investigation. Anyone with any additional information should contact Detective Richard Rochford of the Fort Lee Police Department Detective Bureau at 201-592-3510 or Headquarters at 201-592-3700.
Link to download Press Release: http://fortleepd.org/document-downloads/press-releases?download=46:2018-04-03-armed-robbery-pursuit
Operation Take Back, Saturday 4/28/2018 (Click here for more info)
On April 28th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Fort Lee Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public its ninth opportunity in four years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Bring your pills for disposal to Fort Lee Police Department located at 1327 16th Street Fort Lee, Jew Jersey 07024. (The DEA cannot accept liquids or needles or sharps, only pills or patches.) The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
In past years, Americans turned in 390 tons (over 780,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at nearly 6,100 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,400 of its state and local law enforcement partners. When those results are combined with what was collected in its eight previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 4.1 million pounds—more than 2,100 tons—of pills.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.
DEA is in the process of approving new regulations that implement the Safe and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010, which amends the Controlled Substances Act to allow an “ultimate user” (that is, a patient or their family member or pet owner) of controlled substance medications to dispose of them by delivering them to entities authorized by the Attorney General to accept them. The Act also allows the Attorney General to authorize long term care facilities to dispose of their residents’ controlled substances in certain instances.
If you have any questions please call at 201-592-3786 (Evidence Bureau)
Fort Lee Police Department’s K9 Bodie and K9 Hudson Get Body Armor
Chief Keith M. Bendul is pleased to announce that Fort Lee Police Department’s K9 Bodie and K9 Hudson have each received a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc.K9 Bodie and K9 Hudson’s vests were sponsored by a fundraiser hosted by Chloe and ShaeLee Campbell of Cresskill, NJ and will be embroidered with the sentiment “This gift of protection provided by Chloe & ShaeLee Campbell”. Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. is a 501c (3) charity located in East Taunton, MA whose mission is to provide bullet and stab protective vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States. The non-profit was established in 2009 to assist law enforcement agencies with this potentially lifesaving body armor for their four-legged K9 officers. Since its inception, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provided over 2,600 protective vests, in 50 states, through private and corporate donations, at a cost of over 2.1 million dollars.
K9 Bodie is partnered with Police Officer Chris Richter who is currently assigned to the department’s Emergency Services Unit. K9 Bodie and Officer Richter graduated from the Bergen County Sheriff’s K9 training in May, and Bodie is dual certified as a patrol and explosives detection K9. Bodie is named after the K9 from the Sacramento California police department who saved his partner’s life in 2012 when he was shot protecting Officer Randy Van Dusen.
K9 Hudson is partnered with Police Officer Zachary Joseph who is currently assigned to the department’s Patrol Division. K9 Hudson and Officer Joseph graduated from the Bergen County Sheriff’s K9 training in May, and Hudson is dual certified as a patrol and narcotics detection K9. Hudson is named after the 17th century explorer Henry Hudson, who explored this section of the United States and is the namesake of the Hudson River which runs between New York and New Jersey.
The program is open to dogs actively employed in the U.S. with law enforcement or related agencies who are certified and at least 20 months of age. New K9 graduates, as well as K9s with expired vests, are eligible to participate.
The donation to provide one protective vest for a law enforcement K9 is $1,050.00. Each vest has a value between $1,795 – $2,234 and a five-year warranty, and an average weight of 4-5 lbs. There is an estimated 30,000 law enforcement K9s throughout the United States. For more information or to learn about volunteer opportunities, please call 508-824-6978. Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provides information, lists events, and accepts tax-deductible donations of any denomination at www.vik9s.org or mailed to P.O. Box 9 East Taunton, MA 02718.
