A Clark NJ man was arrested after allegedly stealing a Canadian tourist’s wallet at the train station inside Newark Liberty International Airport.
According to authorities, the 28-year-old suspect intentionally created a disturbance on the track 1A platform so that his victim would be distracted. The suspect then allegedly reached into the victim’s back pocket and swiped his wallet.
The 46-year-old victim said that the suspect fled the scene and ran onto a nearby train. The victim followed the suspect onto the train and confronted him.
At the time, Port Authority police officers were conducting bag checks at the platform. The officers noticed the commotion and walked over to look into the situation. When they encountered the victim, he told them what had transpired; he also identified the suspect.
According to police, the officers investigated and found the suspect in possession of the victim’s wallet.
The suspect was placed under arrest and charged with several theft offenses, including theft of movable property and possession of stolen property.
If the suspect is convicted on the theft charges, he could be subject to significant penalties. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3, the penalties for theft of movable property are determined by the monetary value of the stolen property. If the victim’s wallet contained more than $500, the suspect may be charged with a third degree felony. A conviction for third degree theft could result in a sentence of 3–5 years in NJ State Prison.
For more information about this incident, check out the NJ.com article entitled “Pickpocket Causes Commotion at Newark Airport Train Station, Police Say.”
