11-year-old Newark boy robbed of cellphone by group while walking home from school
NEWARK, N.J. -- An 11-year-old is lucky to have only sustained minor injuries after being jumped by suspects for his cellphone.
CBS New York spoke to the victim on Wednesday.
The Newark Police Traffic Unit came out in force to support 11-year-old Joseph Lema.
"I didn't expect this. This is like a dream come true," Lema said.
On Monday surveillance video obtained exclusively by CBS New York captured Lema being robbed as he walked home from school. A group is seen getting out of an SUV on Summer Avenue and terrorizing him.
"I was scared, a lot," Lema said.
One of the assailants grabbed the sixth grader from behind to get to his cellphone. Another joined in. Lema is heard screaming on the video.
"I was trying to say 'Help me!' loud," he said.
This as one member of the group assaulted him and another stole his cellphone.
"He grabbed me, threw me on the ground," Lema said. "He was using all of his force to like drag me around."
"I can't believe why they would do it to a kid," he added.
Lema got into SUV to try to get his phone back, but let go and landed on the street, bruising his knee.
"I thought my back was done, that I was going to be in a wheelchair," he said.
Newark police said they have been actively searching for the suspects, who fled the scene in the SUV.
"A juvenile may have identified one of the suspects based on clothing that they were wearing," Councilman Anibal Ramos Jr. said.
Ramos said patrols will be stepped up.
A neighbor came to Lema's aid after the robbery and took him in.
"I told him next time if someone takes something away from you, let it go," the neighbor said.
The Newark Traffic Unit surprised Lema with a new cellphone
"It's the color I want. I love it," Lema said.
"We wanted to make sure he knew, and his parents knew, that he's not out here alone," the Traffic Unit's Jimmy Stewart said.
Lema's father said he's proud of his son, but added he won't be letting him walk home from school anymore.
