Authorities announced the arrest of a man who they say robbed and duck taped a woman at a Union motel over the weekend.
Union police responded to the Garden State Motel located at 1650 Rt. 22, after a woman called 911 and said she was robbed at gunpoint Friday at approximately 11:55 p.m.
Investigating officers located the victim who reported that she was supposed to meet up with a man she met via the internet but the man and one of his friends showed up at her room armed with guns and demanded her belongings.
Authorities said the suspects took the victim's cell phone and her purse which contained an undetermined amount of money.
The victim claimed that she was subdued with duct tape by the men and left in the motel room.
The woman was eventually able to free herself then contact 911 according to reports.
According to reports, an officer recalled running the license plate of the alleged suspect's car on Saturday after seeing surveillance images captured on Friday at the motel.
Police pulled the vehicle over, and began to question the driver who was identified as Joshua Wilkens, 26, of Newark.
Officers observed the victim’s identification in the car during the stop and immediately placed Wilkens under arrest for possession of the stolen property.
The car was towed back to police headquarters for further investigation.
Detective Mathew Sakala and Detective/Lieutenant Bob Perez investigated the crime and Detective Sakala obtained a search warrant from a superior court judge to search the home the suspect exited from prior to arrest and the car.
At the time of the search, officers seized marijuana in the house and other items that appeared to be stolen. In the car, officers recovered phones, purses, and personal possessions from numerous victims authorities said.
The two guns used in the robbery were also found but turned out to be imitation guns authorities said.
Police said after the victim identified Wilkens as one of the men that robbed her, he was charged with armed robbery, handgun possession, and receiving stolen property.
He is being held at the Union Police Department headquarters pending transfer to the Union County Jail.
Police are currently working with other towns where similar crimes were committed and believe Wilkens matched the description of a wanted suspect.
If anyone has any information, please contact the Union Police Department Detective Bureau at 908-851-5030.