Delanco Township authorities have opened an investigation into an attempted robbery that occurred earlier this month. Authorities recently released a composite sketch of the suspect, who allegedly attempted to rob a pizza delivery driver in a local housing complex.
The incident in question occurred at approximately 9:20 p.m. on Thursday, May 18th in the vicinity of Heron Court in the Rivers Edge development in Delanco Township. According to Delanco Police, the suspect, described as a middle-aged man wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and gray sweatpants, approach a pizza delivery driver and demanded money. Fortunately, the driver immediately fled the area and was not injured.
Investigators have asked that anyone with information related to the suspect or the alleged robbery reach out to the Delanco Police Department at 856-461-0357, extension 351. If law enforcement officials ultimately identify and apprehend the suspect in connection with this case, he may face charges for robbery or attempted robbery.
In New Jersey, robbery offenses are taken extremely seriously, and as such, they are graded as either first degree or second degree crimes. For robbery crimes involving weapons, and those in which a victim is hurt or threatened, the charges are typically first degree. On the other hand, typically robbery offenses are graded as second degree crimes. Both levels of robbery charges are also governed by the No Early Release Act, which includes a mandatory period of parole ineligibility set at 85 percent of the total sentence imposed.
This case also raises an interesting issue with attempted, versus completed, crimes in New Jersey. The robbery statute, N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1, defines robbery and the exposure for defendants as between 5 and 20 years in New Jersey State Prison, depending on the circumstances of the specific case. However, in New Jersey, an attempt to commit a crime of the first degree is a crime of the second degree; except that an attempt to commit murder or terrorism is a crime of the first degree. Otherwise, an attempt to commit a crime is the same degree as the crime itself. This element is significant, as a charge for first degree robbery could be charged as a second degree crime if it is attempted, but not executed.
For additional information pertaining to this case, access the following article: Delanco police release sketch of attempted robbery suspect