Leonia NJ Teen Reportedly Assaulted, Robbed While Playing Pokemon Go in Englewood, New Jersey
A Leonia NJ teen was violently robbed as he walked through Englewood New Jersey and played the popular new Pokemon Go game on his phone.
The Pokemon Go iPhone game has become a national sensation, with people in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and just about elsewhere in the U.S. obsessing over the game since it was released a week ago. The game’s players use GPS tracking on their cell phones to “capture” Pokemon characters by finding them in real, physical locations. Unfortunately, sometimes the younger kids who play the Pokemon Go game fail to notice their surroundings and end up in unsafe areas. That seems to be what happened to the victim in the recent Englewood NJ robbery case.
The teenage victim is a 16-year-old boy from Leonia, New Jersey. He was attacked after wandering into Englewood and being confronted by a man who allegedly assaulted and robbed him. At some point, the suspect allegedly instructed the victim to empty his pockets and give him cash.
While the robbery was being committed, a police officer with the Englewood Police Department was trying to locate a suspect in a different theft. The Englewood NJ cop searched for the thief in the other incident, a man who allegedly stole a bike, and happened upon the Pokemon-related robbery. According to the police officer, the suspect was violently assaulting the victim on an Englewood NJ street.
The suspect is a 19-year-old man who lives in Fort Lee, NJ. He was arrested and charged with several crimes, including robbery and resisting arrest. The suspect was also cited for refusal to be fingerprinted and photographed during the booking process.
If the suspect is ultimately convicted of robbery, he faces severe penalties. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1, anyone who commits a theft while causing physical injury to the victim can be charged with a second degree criminal offense. A conviction on second degree robbery charges could lead to a sentence of 5-10 years in New Jersey State Prison.
After being arrested and charged, the Fort Lee NJ suspect was ordered held at the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack, New Jersey. He remained in custody at the correctional facility in lieu of $50,000 bail.
For additional information about this case, read the NorthJersey.com article, “Leonia Teenager Playing Pokemon Go Mugged in Englewood.”
