Mug Shots Released of Suspects in Hartgers Jewelers Heist

On Monday afternoon the Wyckoff Police Department released the mugshots of four men suspected of robbing Hartgers Jewelers on Saturday armed with a sledgehammer. The men allegedly made off with over $1 million in Rolex watches and other jewelry before being captured following a high speed chase down Rt. 208, said Wyckoff Police Chief Benjamin Fox.

Calling the incident "very violent", Fox said the "smash and grab" robbery began around 11:56 a.m. on Saturday when the police received a 911 distress call and holdup alarm at Hartgers, located at 699 Wyckoff Avenue.

"You had one man enter the store essentially pretending to look around. When he acted as if he were leaving, he held the door open for two others who entered the store with ski masks carrying sledgehammers," Fox said. "They started smashing open cases of Rolexes and another headed to a safe where the rings and necklaces were," Fox said.

"They had pillow cases and scooped up as much as they could before fleeing. The way they did this coming in, watching the tape, it was very violent."

Fox, who reviewed the incident on a store surveillance camera, said one of the robbers grappled with the store owner and two female customers were thrown to the floor, but no one sustained serious injury, Fox said.

After being in the store approximately five minutes, Fox said three men fled with approximately 100 Rolex watches with a retail value in excess of $1 million dollars in a Chevrolet Tahoe operated by a fourth driver down Rt. 208 leading to high speed chase. 

 At the corner of Franklin Avenue and Ewing Avenue in Franklin Lakes, one man jumped from the rear of the car while it was in motion. He took off running and was apprehended following a foot pursuit by Wyckoff Sgt. Jack McEwan and a Franklin Lakes Police officer, according to Chief Fox.

Police said officers from Mahwah assisted Wyckoff in securing the robbery scene while officers from Ridgewood, Hawthorne and Franklin Lakes assisted in the pursuit.

Watches were reportedly recovered in the pockets of the individuals arrested, as well as in a wooded area following a foot pursuit, Chief Fox said. At least one police officer was witnessed scouring the bushes in the area of Rt. 208 South in the vicinity of the Cedar Hill Avenue exit looking for evidence the robbers tossed from the car during the pursuit.

After one of the suspects fled the car on foot police said he was found by a canine unit hiding by a stream a short time later in a wooded area of Ridgewood, while two others were apprehended  in Hawthorne on Goffle Road.

Arrested were Daren Ellis, 28, of Brooklyn, New York; Maurice J. Highland, 24, of Jamaica, New York;  Andre C. Lewis, 35, of Brooklyn, New York; and Adrian C. Hicken, 35, of Effort, PA.

During the pursuit, the suspects crashed into a Hawthorne patrol car being operated by Hawthorne Officer Joe Carr, according to Hawthorne Captain Richard Mcauliffe. That vehicle sustained minor damage and the suspects' vehicle continued onto a dead end street off of Goffle Rd. after the crash, Mcauliffe said.

At that point, Hawthorne Sgt. Mark Michalski started to pull out of a parking lot to follow the suspects down the dead end road, police said.

The pursuit ended when the vehicle crashed into a patrol car operated by Michalski, at "almost a head-on angle," Mcauliffe said.  

"That police vehicle is totaled. There's no saving it."

"Both officers went to the hospital and were treated for minor injuries," Mcauliffe said.

"Officer Carr complained of pain to his hands, neck and spine, and Sgt Michalski complained of pain in his head, neck and back."

Mcauliffe said both men were released from the hospital shortly before 3 p.m. 

Fox said it was fortunate that no officers were seriously injured, and that "we have everyone in custody."

The arrested men are all charged initially with robbery and theft, Fox said. Additional charges including assault, possession of a weapon (knife), eluding a police officer, resisting arrest, and aggravated assault upon a police officer will be filed. Bail was set for each by Wyckoff Judge Russel B. Teschon at $500,000 with no 10% option. They have been remanded to the Bergen County Jail in default of bail.

Hartgers was the scene of a previous robbery in 2001, when three armed men made off with $250,000 in Cartier and Rolex watches. All three and a driver were eventually arrested. A man identifying himself as the store's owner confirmed no serious injuries were sustained during the robbery and said the store was back open for business this morning, but declined further comment.

Jessica Mazzola contributed to this report