There have been several armed robberies in our area recently -- Dover, Wharton, and yesterday in Roxbury. The victim from yesterday's robbery was able to describe the guy and his vehicle, and Denville police got him on Rt. 10.

 

I guess it is a sign of the times, and perhaps a symptom of drug usage, that a guy would rob people at gunpoint at busy shopping centers at 10 AM. And, yes, like most people here, I think that CCW would help deter these types of crimes.

 

http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20120425/NJNEWS/304250014/Woman-defies-Wharton-parking-lot-robber-shopping-cart?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Yeah! this is pretty close by to me and I talked to my wife about it. SUX!!

 

If you ever read the blotter of all the drug arrests on Rt 15 you'd be amazed.

 

Being that there is no CCW in NJ I told my wife two things. One, Never get in the car or get out. No matter what the cost!

 

Two, your vehicle is a 5000 lb weapon, use it.

There's been rash of thefts from vehicles in my town recently. I suspect it's addicts.

The Roxbury shopping center is just a few miles from my house. My wife is there frequently.

 

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/04/25/police-arrest-man-accused-of-terrorizing-women-at-new-jersey-shopping-areas/

Why doesn't this surprise me...........it's NJ........BG flashes a gun and a poor woman defends against the threat with a shopping cart.....not funny....IMO.

That woman was either brave or foolish, although I'm leaning toward the latter. Last I checked, a shopping cart is useful for neither cover nor concealment.

Bad Heroin problem in northwest NJ.

I'll admit to not seeking out the official stats, however I'd bet some coin that most towns, cities and neighborhoods in NJ have seen an increase in crime over the last 10-years. Some of it may be normally good people that, years ago, would have never been a criminal. Bad times makes good people do uncharacteristically bad things. That's no meant to be an excuse, just a matter of fact. It's sad really.

I'll admit to not seeking out the official stats, however I'd bet some coin that most towns, cities and neighborhoods in NJ have seen an increase in crime over the last 10-years. Some of it may be normally good people that, years ago, would have never been a criminal. Bad times makes good people do uncharacteristically bad things. That's no meant to be an excuse, just a matter of fact. It's sad really.

 

I think you're probably right. In this case, because he did it around 10:00 AM at busy shopping centers, I have to think that he was a drug addict. It is a high risk/low reward robbery scenario.