Lakewood, N.J. High School Football Players Accused In String Of Armed Robberies
LAKEWOOD, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A group of high school football players has been linked to a rash of armed robberies, targeting businesses in the Lakewood, New Jersey area.
As CBS 2's Scott Rapoport reported Monday, Devin Delanie, 18, was best known as a football player on his team at Lakewood High School. But Delaine and three other teammates have now been sent to jail, accused in the stunning series of armed robberies.
Parents and students who know Delanie said they are baffled.
"I was very surprised to hear that he did that, because he wasn't in the streets like that," said parent Frank Perez. "He was in school. You know, I've seen him here every day."
Lakewood police said three of the armed robberies happened within a span of just 30 minutes.
"I heard it from my teacher, and I was like, 'Really? Why would he do that?'" said Lakewood High School senior Louis Chacon.
Police said last Thursday evening at the corner of South Park Avenue and Woehr Avenue, the suspects traveling in a Nissan Altima robbed a man at gunpoint, demanding his cellphone before speeding off in a car.
Several minutes later on Eighth Street near Lexington Avenue, a man said he was attacked at gunpoint by the suspects. Police said the suspects took a bag of groceries and struck the victim on the head.
And minutes later on Albert Avenue near Read Place, two women said they were approached at gunpoint and told by the suspects to head into a wooded area. They managed to run away.
"They were all real good people," said Lakewood senior Nick Millheiser. "I really didn't think they would do something like that."
A short time later, Lakewood police received a call from a man who claimed to have witnessed another armed robbery and to have gotten a look at the getaway car. Police said it was the same getaway car as in the other three cases.
They arrested Delanie and three other members of the Lakewood high school football team. The other three suspects are juveniles, and their names are not being released.
"It's not like Devin at all to get in trouble," said Delanie's cousin, Andrece Harding.
When asked what she thought happened, Harding said she had no idea.
"I don't know. I couldn't tell you," she said. "I'm not in Devin's mind. I couldn't tell you what happened."
Police also said Delanie and two of the other suspects have been linked to at least two other armed robberies in Toms River back.
Those robberies both happened on Sept. 26. In the first incident, two women were held up on Parkcrest Drive in Toms River, and a short time later, a man and woman were robbed by two suspects at gunpoint at the parking lot of a Red Lobster at 1298 Hooper Ave., as the victims prepared to enter a vehicle, police said.
One of the suspects put a gun to the back of the man's head and demanded money, and the suspects entered the vehicle to find and take cash, police said.
The teens face charges of armed robbery, theft and weapons possession.
Check Out These Other Stories From CBSNewYork.com:
