By: Najla Alexander
Authorities in Somerset County announced the arrest of Maicol Fernandez,18, Bernardsville, in relation to a robbery which occurred in Bernardsville in the late evening hours of Monday, March 4, 2024, to the early morning hours of Tuesday, March 5, 2024.
Prosecutor McDonald stated that at approximately 12:22 a.m. on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, the Bernardsville Borough Police Department received a 9-1-1 call reporting an armed robbery in Bernardsville.
Upon responding, officials say, Bernardsville police officers met with the adult male victim, a Bernardsville resident, who reported being robbed by an unknown male who entered his home, brandished a knife, and demanded money.
At one point, the victim attempted to struggle with the suspect, sustaining minor injuries, officials stated.
According to officials, the suspect then escorted the victim to a nearby bank and demanded he withdraw money from the ATM.
Officials say detectives from the Bernardsville Police Department responded to investigate.
An investigation was conducted by detectives from the Bernardsville Police Department along with detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and Crime Scene Investigation Unit, officials said.
Authorities say that because of this investigation, on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, Maicol Fernandez was identified as the suspect responsible for the robbery, arrested, and charged with 1st-degree Robbery and 2nd-degree Burglary.
Defendant Fernandez was lodged in the Somerset County Jail pending a detention hearing in this matter.