A Pennsylvania man with an extensive criminal history has been sentenced to life in state prison under New Jersey’s “three strikes” law for committing an armed robbery in Hillside a little less than three years ago, acting Union County Prosecutor Michael A. Monahan announced Friday.
Officials said Timothy Chambers, 51, of the borough of Delaware Water Gap, Pa., was sentenced Friday afternoon by state Superior Court Judge Stuart Peim.
According to police, at approximately 2:30 p.m. on March 17, 2015, Chambers and another man entered Prestige Auto Wash on Liberty Avenue in Hillside and asked the manager for change of $3, according to Union County Assistant Prosecutors Jessica Guarducci and Kathleen Dillon, who prosecuted the case.
Police said Chambers then followed the manager into his office, brandished a handgun, and began trying to wrestle a bag containing money away from him, Guarducci and Dillon said. Following a brief struggle, Chambers struck the manager over the head with his gun, grabbed the bag, and fled the scene with the second suspect.
Approximately one month later, members of the Hillside Police Department arrested Chambers without incident. The other robbery suspect today remains unidentified and at large.
A Union County jury convicted Chambers following a two-week trial before Judge Peim and several hours of jury deliberation in December 2017.