Woman kidnapped at knifepoint, and robbed
Suspect forced woman to take out $3,600 from bank
BY TOM CAIAZZA
Staff Writer

EDISON - Police are looking for a black male with braided hair who is suspected of kidnapping, assaulting and robbing a township woman, police said.

A 61-year-old resident was kidnapped at knifepoint on May 19 and forced to withdraw $3,600 in cash from two area banks.

Police said the unidentified victim was leaving a doctor's office on Oak Tree Road around 1:30 p.m. on Saturday when a black male approached her car and motioned that she had a flat tire, according to Edison police Lt. Joseph Shannon.

When the woman exited her car to check the tires, the male allegedly forced the woman back into the car and into the passenger's seat at knifepoint. During the struggle, the woman's hands were cut by the knife and sustained lacerations that required treatment.

The assailant drove himself and the woman to the parking lot of Bishop Ahr High School in Metuchen and ordered her to write a check for $8,000, Shannon said.

The woman complied and the two drove to a Commerce Bank on Oak Tree Road in Edison where the check was cashed. Shannon said the man only got $600 from that transaction and was angered by that. He instructed the woman to again write a check and the two drove to another Commerce Bank in Metuchen where the check was cashed for $3,000, Shannon said. Metuchen police said the man, who was wearing driving gloves, posed as the woman's friend at the banks.

The man then drove the woman to an area a few blocks from where she was kidnapped, dropped her off and drove her car back to where the kidnapping originally occurred.

The woman flagged down a passer-by and police were called, Shannon said. They found the woman's car parked where the abduction occurred, but the suspect was not found.

Shannon described the man as 6 feet 1 inch, well-built, 200 pounds and between 35-40 years of age. He wore a green, yellow and orange skullcap, a red, hooded sweatshirt and had braided hair. He was armed with a 12-inch hunting knife.

The woman was send to JFK Medical Center for the lacerations to her hands and some bumps and bruises. She was released and there were no serious injuries.

Police ask anyone with information about the man to contact Edison Detective Brian Parente at (732) 248-7527.

- Kathy Chang contributed

to this story