A juvenile has been charged in connection with an attempted robbery last Friday evening in the Pine Lake Park section of Manchester.
The incident occurred on Friday night, March 13, at approximately 7:15 p.m., near the intersection of Hannibal Street and Seventh Avenue.
Police say the victim, a local Jewish resident who was on his way to shul for Friday night davening, was approached by a suspect armed with a knife who demanded money. The victim was able to quickly flee the scene and ran into a nearby home to seek safety.
Officers from the Manchester Township Police Department responded and began searching the area. The Manchester Police Investigations Bureau assisted with the investigation, and additional resources were brought in from the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, including its drone unit and K-9 teams, as authorities worked to locate the suspect.
The investigation continued into the following day, when police determined that a juvenile was responsible for the attempted mugging. On Saturday, the suspect was taken into custody and charged with robbery and weapons possession offenses.
Authorities said the juvenile is currently being held at the Ocean County Juvenile Detention Center.
Under New Jersey law, additional identifying details about juveniles charged as delinquent cannot be released.