COPS SEEK PAIR WHO ROBBED, TERRORIZED TEANECK RESIDENTS

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Wednesday, December 19, 1990

The Record (New Jersey) | Four Star B | NEWS | Page B10

Police are searching for robbers who, in two separate incidents, held a township woman at gunpoint in her home and injured an elderly couple.

The woman, who is 54, was unharmed by the two males who made her lie face down on the floor for about 30 minutes while they ransacked her Franklin Road home at about 6:20 p.m. Monday, police said.

On Tuesday, an elderly woman remained hospitalized after she and her husband were attacked last week in their East Cedar Lane home by two robbers. Police said the two incidents may have been committed by the same men.

In Monday’s incident, the assailants posed as salesmen and brandished a gun, described by the victim as silver with a wooden handle.

They rang the doorbell, then pushed past the woman, asking “Where is the money? ” After disconnecting telephones, they stole an ankle bracelet, wedding and engagement rings, and several necklaces worn by the woman.

They also made off with $50, two fur coats, a black leather coat, other pieces of jewelry, and several telephones, police said.

Police did not identify the victims of the Dec. 12 incident and have not determined what was stolen from their home.

The husband, 75, pulled into his driveway at about 9 p.m. Wednesday, let his wife out of the car, and then opened the garage door with a remote-control device, Sgt. Robert Adomilli said.

He was grabbed by the neck from behind as he got out of his car and was told not to turn around or else he would be killed, Adomilli said.

The assailants shoved the man to the ground, showing him a gun that looked like it was made of steel or silver, or covered with chrome, he said.

His wife, 65, came outside upon hearing the commotion, and was also pushed to the ground, punched, and kicked by one of the robbers, Adomilli said. She suffered a broken hip, Adomilli added.

Both victims were taken to Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck. The husband was released Monday, and his wife was transferred to Hackensack Medical Center, according to a nursing supervisor at Holy Name.

Adomilli urged residents with information about the crimes to call 837-2565 or Teaneck Crimestoppers 833-4222.

The department will accept anonymous tips, and people who provide information that leads to an arrest may earn a reward from Crimestoppers, a committee of local residents, Adomilli said.

HOSPITAL DEPOSIT STOLEN BY GUNMAN

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Wednesday, December 12, 1990

The Record (New Jersey) | Four Star B | NEWS | Page B03

A gunman robbed a security officer for Holy Name Hospital of about $2,000 as the officer’s truck entered the driveway of National Community Bank on Cedar Lane on Tuesday afternoon, police said.

The officer was shaken up but unharmed in the robbery, which occurred about 1:30 p.m., Detective Sgt. Robert Adomilli said. Adomilli declined to identify the officer.

Theresa Setteducato, director of public relations at Holy Name Hospital, said the security officer was going to make a deposit at the bank, at 205 Cedar Lane, when he was robbed.

Setteducato declined to say how much the officer was depositing.

The security officer told police that a man approached his truck as he entered the bank’s driveway and said “Excuse me,” as if he were about to ask him for directions, Adomilli said.

The officer told police the man walked up against the truck, pointed a gun at him, and demanded that he hand over money.

Adomilli said no one saw the robbery, and the gunman escaped on foot.

A second armed robbery in Teaneck occurred at a dry-cleaning store about 3:15 p.m., but Adomilli said it appeared a different robber was responsible. The gunman stole an undetermined amount of money from a cash register at Plaza Cleaners and Artistic Tailors on Queen Anne Road, he said.

The robber locked an employee in a bathroom, Adomilli said.

Caption: PHOTO – DANIELLE P. RICHARDS/THE RECORD – Sheriff’s Officer John Murphy examining vehicle for fingerprints.

TWO SOUGHT IN ROBBERY TRY; WOMAN PUNCHED IN FACE

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Sunday, December 9, 1990

The Record (New Jersey) | All Editions | NORTH CENTRAL BERGEN/YOUR TOWN RECORD | Page 3

Composite drawings of suspects in an attempted robbery of a borough woman at a Discmart record store three weeks ago are being circulated in Bergen County.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact the department.

The victim, who police declined to identify, gave police a description of her alleged assailant, and an eyewitness gave police a description of a man who drove the getaway car, said River Edge Police Lt. Ron Starace, chief of the detective bureau.

The incident occurred about 12:30 p.m. Nov. 23 in the parking lot of the record store, off Route 4 east in River Edge, Starace said. The suspect allegedly ran up behind the woman, grabbed her pocketbook, and, when she resisted, punched her in the face several times and knocked her to the ground.

Starace said the woman suffered deep bruises to her face that required received medical treatment.

Police describe the man as Hispanic, in his early 20s, about 5 feet 5, slim to medium build, with dark brown hair shaved short on both sides. He was wearing a light blue jacket and a baseball cap.

The man then got into what witnesses said was a new, light tan-colored Ford Taurus occupied by three other Hispanic males and escaped, Starace said. The driver of the getaway car was described as a man, 26 to 30 years old, average height, bushy dark brown hair, thin mustache, and goatee.

Starace said similar incidents were reported in East Rutherford and Fort Lee the same day as the River Edge attack, with the same description of suspects and vehicle.

Anyone with information should contact the River Edge Police Department at 262-1233.

Caption: PHOTO – Police issued sketches showing the alleged driver of a getaway car, left, and the suspect in the attempted robbery of a borough woman.

HOMEOWNER TRIES TO TRAP SURPRISED BURGLAR IN HOUSE

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Saturday, December 8, 1990

The Record (New Jersey) | All Editions | NEWS | Page A04

When a 50-year-old township woman came home from work Thursday to find a burglar ransacking her home, she was so angry that she wanted to fight with him and keep him there until help arrived, she said.

Bonita Burgess said she tried to lock the burglar inside the house as he attempted to get away through a glass storm door.

But “he kicked the door right in front of my face; I jumped back, and he was gone,” Burgess said. “It was the dumbest thing in the world to do, but I was angry. “

The burglar ransacked the home, stole a jewelry box containing assorted jewelry, $20 to $30 in loose change, and two briefcases containing business materials, Burgess said. She said she still has to draw up a list of missing items for police.

Patrolman Raymond Talarico, who came to her house, was responding to his second call on a home burglary in two hours. A burglar earlier had tripped an alarm in a Farragut Court home and fled without taking anything.

Burgess told police she thought her husband was home when she saw lights on as she approached her Belle Avenue home a little after 7 p.m. Thursday. She became suspicious when she didn’t see his car in front of the house.

She heard movement upstairs and called out to ask if anyone was home. The burglar answered and said his name was Michael Wilkenson and that he was a friend of her husband.

“I suppose I was just plain stupid, and I was somewhat shocked,” Burgess said. “I was well inside my own house and did not realize that the house had been broken into. . . . I proceeded to walk up the stairs. Then it dawned on me that he might have a gun.”

She said she screamed as she ran back downstairs but didn’t think anyone heard her.

The burglar also ran down the stairs and tried to escape through the front door. But after several unsuccessful attempts to open it, he ran toward the side door that Burgess was trying to lock from the outside.

The burglar struggled with Burgess over the door, then kicked it out and ran north on Belle Avenue, toward Laurelton Parkway.

BAIL RAISED FOR BROTHERS SUSPECTED OF ROBBERY

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Friday, November 30, 1990

Four Star B | NEWS | Page B03

A Municipal Court judge has increased bail to $125,000 each for two robbery suspects after police found about 150 vials of crack while searching their apartment for weapons used in the robbery, authorities said.

Rodney Wade Phoenix, 26, and Robert William Phoenix, 34, of 92 Shepard Ave., Teaneck, are being held in the Bergen County Jail on charges of robbery, resisting arrest, and possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school, police said.

Officer Colin Duff, while breaking up a fight between a Teaneck resident and the brothers at about 3 p.m. Monday, was struck on the back of his head and neck with a three-foot-long piece of wood by one of the brothers, police said.

The resident, Frank Fowler, 34, of 1158 Summit Ave., told police the Phoenix brothers had robbed him of $100 at knifepoint and gunpoint earlier Monday.

The incident started when Officer George Miros, standing at Teaneck Road and State Street, noticed Fowler being chased by the Phoenix brothers, police said. Fowler was carrying a two-by-four.

Miros stopped the brothers to question them. They told him they had settled a dispute with Fowler, and then ran north on Teaneck Road to Shepard Avenue, catching up with Fowler and fighting with him.

Fowler and Duff were struck by the brothers as Miros, Duff, and Sgt. Thomas Batchelor tried to break up the fight, police said. The brothers then ran away, but were arrested minutes later. Duff and Fowler were treated for their injuries at Holy Name Hospital and released.

Bail had been set at $100,000 on the armed-robbery charges. The bail was raised Wednesday.

The Phoenix brothers were out on bail awaiting trial for their part in a series of armed robberies in Teaneck and Paramus in March 1989, according to Bergen County Superior Court records.

NORTHVALE MAN HELD IN ROBBERY ATTEMPT

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Thursday, October 11, 1990

The Record (New Jersey) | Four Star B | NEWS | Page B04

A 26-year-old Northvale man was charged with armed robbery after he tried to hold up a borough gas station but was foiled by an attendant, police said.

The suspect, Nicholas Proios, later confessed to robbing two gas stations in Alpine and Emerson during the weekend, police said.

Proios approached Robert W. Gardner, an attendant at the Northern Valley Motors gas station at 484 Closter Dock Road, at about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday and said he had a gun, police said.

When he told Gardner to empty his cash register, Gardner refused and foiled the robbery, said Closter Police Capt. John Rose.

“He had an object in his jacket that he purported to be a gun, but the gas attendant saw that it was a staple gun,” Rose said. “He decided to take him on. He physically detained the robber. “

Proios confessed during police interrogation to robbing the Texaco gas station on Closter Dock Road in Alpine on Saturday and the Emerson Exxon on Kinderkamack Road on Sunday, Rose said.

Police accounts of both incidents were similar: Proios allegedly walked in, told the attendants he had a gun, and announced a holdup. The Alpine robbery yielded $200 and Emerson, $466.

Closter police on Tuesday charged Proios with armed robbery. Bail was set at $50,000, and he was sent to the Bergen County Jail.

Alpine and Emerson police said Wednesday they also would charge Proios with armed robbery.

BANDITS HIT LOTTERY FOR $2,000 IN TEANECK LIQUOR STORE HOLDUP

MICHAEL O. ALLEN | Sunday, October 7, 1990

The Record (New Jersey) | All Editions | NEWS | Page A04

Three armed men allegedly stole about $5,000, including about $2,000 in New Jersey Lottery money, from a Teaneck wine and liquor store Friday as the store owner and his brother locked up for the night, Teaneck police say.

Pannabhai D. Grohel, owner of the Jersey Wine and Liquor store at 166 W. Englewood Ave., said he thought the robbers had watched his routine for some time before Friday’s robbery.

After the store closes at 10 p.m., Grohel, 52, said, he and his brother Dhamji, 46, usually spend about 30 minutes stocking the shelves for the next day’s business. The robbers, two of them armed with automatic handguns, entered the store from a side door on Queen Anne Road as the Grohel brothers emerged at 10:35 p.m. on Friday, he said.

“As soon as we opened the door, they pushed the door and they came in,” Grohel said.

The Teaneck police report of the incident, filed by Patrolman Robert Croonquist, said Dhamji Grohel was hit on the head and face with a gun and that the men were taken to Holy Name Hospital for treatment.