Trio charged with stealing $10K from NJ bank, ramming cop car

Two men and a woman are accused of managing to steal $10,000 cash in a phony bank withdrawal in Warren Township, as police said one member of the trio then rammed a police car and physically attacked an officer before trying to run away.

According to the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, 25-year-old Deleon Hutchenson, of Sayreville, 43-year-old Rebecca Burlew, of Keyport, and 37-year-old Lemar Lodge, of East Orange, were arrested on Jan. 5 after the incident that afternoon.

An employee of a Bank of America branch on Mountain Boulevard had contacted Warren Township Police, reporting that a suspicious man and woman, later identified as Burlew, had withdrawn the large amount of cash and then left before 3 p.m., Prosecutor Michael Robertson said.

While responding officers were at the bank, Burlew returned to the business and was taken into custody.

Hutchenson was found in a parked vehicle, outside of the bank, and when approached by police officers, Robertson said he became angry.

Police said Hutchenson used the car to ram into an unmarked police vehicle, three times, before then getting out and hitting an officer in the face before running away on Mountain Boulevard.

Hutchenson was quickly arrested and the third suspect, Lodge, was found in a business parking lot near the bank and was also taken into custody, according to the prosecutor.

Hutchenson faces a host of charges, including two counts of aggravated assault of a police officer.

He also is charged with third-degree theft by deception, third-degree resisting arrest, third-degree conspiracy to commit theft by deception, fourth-degree criminal mischief, and fourth-degree obstruction of justice.

Burlew and Lodge are both charged with third-degree theft by deception and third-degree conspiracy to commit theft by deception.

Burlew also faces third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance.

Hutchenson and Burlew were taken to Somerset County Jail pending a bail detention hearing.

Lodge was released on his own recognizance.