BY TOM CLANCEY
OF NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS
ENGLEWOOD, N.J.—Police here are urging caution when buying or selling goods via internet platforms after a series of robberies in recent weeks.
Two Englewood teens are charged with armed robbery, and at least two more suspects are at large, as investigators work to unravel clues from four recent incidents of people being robbed following online exchanges.
“In the wake of these very serious crimes in Englewood and other cities and towns across our area—involving internet platforms such as Instagram, Craigslist, Letgo, OfferUp and others—we urge citizens to take certain precautions when meeting people you don’t know, especially in locations that are not familiar,” said Englewood Police Detective Capt. Timothy Torell.
Sincere Degroat, 19, of Englewood, was being held in Bergen County Jail at press time on charges of first degree armed robbery in connection with a Jan. 5 incident. That day, a Hackensack woman looking to sell her iPhone via “Letgo” was accompanied by her boyfriend to the 100 block of Second Street in Englewood, where a prospective buyer snatched the phone from her hand during negotiations, then indicated he had a gun and would shoot both victims, Torell said.
Englewood PD photo.
Englewood detectives—already investigating two similar incidents that occurred on Dec. 26 and 31, 2018—identified Degroat a suspect “as a result of intensive investigation,” obtaining an arrest warrant for him, Torell said.
On Jan. 7 at noon, Detective Sgt. Chris Kedersha and Detective Chris Quirk spotted Degroat walking through Mackay Park in Englewood and arrested him without incident, finding in his possession the stolen iPhone and drug paraphernalia, Torell said. Awaiting court proceedings, Degroat is also charged with two counts of third degree terroristic threats.
December 2018 incidents
Investigators who arrested Degroat had already been working on a Dec. 26 theft by deception case and a Dec. 31 robbery case, Torell said.
A Paramus woman selling an iWatch on Dec. 26 met a man at the McDonald’s on West Palisade Avenue in Englewood, agreeing and exchanging cash for the iWatch, Torell said.
“The buyer then quickly left the restaurant, at which time the seller realized she had been handed counterfeit money,” Torell said. “The seller then chased after the suspect, who she described as a black male in his teens, and eventually lost sight of him.”
Days later, on Dec. 31, a Fort Lee man trying to sell an iPhone via Letgo agreed to meet a prospective buyer at the Englewood Starbucks on East Palisade Avenue.
“During negotiations, the buyer physically grabbed the phone from the seller’s hand and ran from the area,” Torell said. “The seller described the suspect as a black male in his late teens to early 20s.”
Victims robbed at gunpoint one day after first suspect jailed
On Jan. 8, one day after police arrested Degroat, “[a teen] from North Bergen was lured to the area of Lake Street and Broad Avenue, through Instagram, with the prospect of meeting a female,” Torell said.
“When he arrived, three males approached him. One of them, armed with a handgun, pointed it at the victim’s chest while the other two males stole his backpack, iPhone and AirPods,” Torell said. “The victim then ran a significant distance and called the police from a passing motorist’s phone who had stopped to render aid.”
Detectives described the incident as “possibly related” to the others, Torell said.
Police searched unsuccessfully for the suspects, described as Latino and black males in their late teens or early 20s, Torell said.
“As a result of the ongoing investigations, detectives were able to identify one of the suspects in this armed robbery case as 18-year-old Englewood resident Xavier Medina,” Torell said. “An arrest warrant was obtained and detectives, assisted by the department’s Emergency Service Unit, effected a search warrant at his home on Lake Street in the early morning hours of Jan. 15. Medina was arrested without incident and evidence was recovered in connection with this and possibly other crimes.”
Englewood PD photo.
Medina is accused of first degree armed robbery. He was taken to Bergen County Jail, and was later released Jan. 23, Bergen County Sheriff’s Department records show. He is also facing two weapons charges and a conspiracy charge, records show.
“The investigations into these crimes are still very active and more arrests are expected,” said Torell. “At this time, no firearms have been recovered as of yet and we are asking for the public’s help, through our CrimeStoppers group, for further information.”
Crimestoppers offers up to a $1,000 cash reward for any information that significantly assists the police in their investigations. Tips can be made anonymously on the group’s website at www.bergencrimestoppers.org or by calling (844) 466-6789, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Citizens can also call Englewood Police Detectives directly at (201) 568-4875.
Stay safe when buying or selling online
Tips for staying safe when selling items to online buyers, courtesy of Torell:
• Always meet during daylight hours.
• Always bring your own cell phone along in case of an emergency. People should know that most deactivated cell phones without a service connection will allow a 911 call to be made on it.
• Always notify friends or family of your intentions to meet with someone.
• Always bring someone with you.
• Never invite strangers to your home or agree to meet at a stranger’s home.
• If you do become a victim of a crime during a meeting, try and get a good description of the suspect’s appearance but never pursue.
“At present, the Englewood Police Department is currently working on setting up an ‘Internet Safe Exchange Zone’ at our Public Safety Complex,” said Torell. “The company ‘OfferUp’ works with law enforcement in this endeavor and more information, including finding out about the locations of already established safe exchange zones in this area, can be found at safetradespots.com.”