Police: Man uses tree branch to rob young woman in Edison, NJ parking lot

🚨Police say a man used a tree branch to smash a car windshield in an Edison parking lot

🚨He stole jewelry and a purse, according to police

🚨Edison Mayor Sam Joshi supports a bill to increase criminal penalties

EDISON TOWNSHIP — Police say a man used a tree branch to break the windshield of a car and take jewelry from a young woman with her mother Wednesday afternoon.

Edison Police Chief Thomas Bryan said the women were in the back of an office building located at 85 Lincoln Highway around 5:15 p.m. when the man approached them. After breaking the windshield, he pulled the daughter, 20, out of the car. Bryan said he then showed a knife and took her bracelets and necklace.

Bryan said he also took her purse, which contained multiple gift cards and a debit card. While the two fought, the daughter was injured in the right forearm, according to Bryan.

Bryan said the man walked with a limp towards Evergreen Road. He was wearing a face mask and gloves, and may have made it as far as the Metropark station a mile away.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call 732-248-7458.

Mayor proactive about increasing penalties

Bryan and Edison Mayor Sam Joshi have been advocates of a bipartisan bill that overwhelmingly passed both the Senate and Assembly that would increase the penalties for juvenile crime. The bill, which is on Gov. Phil Murphy's desk, would make home invasions first- and second-degree crimes with five to 10-year prison sentence terms for both adults and juveniles.

The bill will also create two new offenses: “residential burglary” and “home invasion burglary.” The new offense of “residential burglary” would constitute a second-degree crime, and therefore, carry heightened penalties and a presumption of incarceration.

Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom