Hudson County

Man Arrested, Charged With Armed Robbery Spree Across Northern NJ: HCPO

Authorities continue to investigate if Joel Krecz is involved in other alleged armed robberies.

A 35-year-old man has been charged with multiple counts of robbery and various weapons and theft offenses in connection to a string of robberies that took place in northern New Jersey throughout last week, the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office announced Friday.

Joel Krecz, of Hackensack, was arrested Tuesday in Jersey City, while in possession of a handgun, following a joint investigation by multiple police departments in connection to five armed robberies reported between the late night hours of April 29 and the early morning hours of April 30, the prosecutor's office said. In each incident, a handgun was allegedly brandished and money was demanded from employees working at the businesses.

Krecz has been identified as the suspect responsible for at least five armed robberies, which are:

  • The robbery of a store on Route 440 in Jersey City on April 29;
  • The robbery of a liquor store on Summit Avenue in Union City on April 30;
  • The robbery of a gas station on Route 3 in Secaucus on April 30;
  • The robbery of a business on Paterson Plank Road in Union City on April 30;
  • The robbery of a liquor store on Willow Avenue in Hoboken on April 30.

However, authorities are continuing to investigate at least one other robbery that allegedly took place at a store on Kennedy Boulevard in North Bergen on April 8.

“This arrest is the direct result of good, collaborative policing between patrol officers, detectives, and major case units,” Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said in a statement. “Our office is committed to working closely with every department in Hudson County to protect the safety of residents and business owners and see that those responsible for crime are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

Krecz is being held at the Hudson County Correctional Facility in Kearny pending his first court appearance, which is tentatively scheduled for Monday.

Attorney information for Krecz was not immediately known.

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