Hamilton 7-Elevens get robbed same week of nationwide immigration crackdown

The 7-Eleven logo
The 7-Eleven logo

HAMILTON >> The 7-Eleven convenience stores are taking a beating.

First, this week federal immigration officials descended on dozens of convenience stores across the county in a Trump-backed crackdown on undocumented workers. Now township police are investigating a pair of strong-armed robberies, police said.

Cops are looking for two men who they believed held up the township stores at gunpoint about a week apart.

The early-morning robberies occurred Jan. 4 and Jan. 10, the first happening at a 7-Eleven on the 500 block of Lalor Street while a second six days later took place at another 7-Eleven on the 900 block of Arena Drive.

A worker and manager at both locations said Friday neither was visited by ICE authorities during a 17-state roundup, netting 21 arrests, that included the storming of 7-Elevens in New Jersey, according to news reports.

The two suspects, described as black men in ski masks with guns, went inside the stores and demanded money before making off with an unknown amount of cash, police said. The store clerks were not hurt during the frightening ordeals.

Cops believe the same two black men were involved in both robberies. They said they were dressed similarly in both hold-ups. One of the suspects is a medium-built 20- to 30 year-old man standing about 6 feet, who was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt with white rings on the sleeves, gray sweatpants, black sneakers, black gloves, a ski mask with a black handgun.

Police said the other man who was with him was also around 6 feet tall and wore a black hooded sweatshirt, black sweatpants, black and white sneakers, black gloves, a ski mask and a silver handgun.

During the second robbery, the suspects had switched up their gear a bit. One of the men wore a black hooded coat with fur around the neck while the other man was in a black hooded sweatshirt with a gold “U” on the front chest and a gold “True Religion” with a gold Buddha on the back of the sweatshirt, police said.

Those with information about the robberies are asked to call Detective Frank Burger at 609-581- 4010 or the Hamilton Police Crime Tip Hotline at 609-581- 4008.

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About the Author

Isaac Avilucea

Avilucea has covered courts, crime and coaching kerfuffles in New Mexico, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Jersey. He prides himself on covering First Amendment issues and was honored for helping fight against a Connecticut judge's prior restraint injunction while he worked at the Connecticut Law Tribune. Reach the author at iavilucea@trentonian.com .

Hamilton 7-Elevens get robbed same week of nationwide immigration crackdown

The 7-Eleven logo
The 7-Eleven logo

HAMILTON >> The 7-Eleven convenience stores are taking a beating.

First, this week federal immigration officials descended on dozens of convenience stores across the county in a Trump-backed crackdown on undocumented workers. Now township police are investigating a pair of strong-armed robberies, police said.

Cops are looking for two men who they believed held up the township stores at gunpoint about a week apart.

The early-morning robberies occurred Jan. 4 and Jan. 10, the first happening at a 7-Eleven on the 500 block of Lalor Street while a second six days later took place at another 7-Eleven on the 900 block of Arena Drive.

A worker and manager at both locations said Friday neither was visited by ICE authorities during a 17-state roundup, netting 21 arrests, that included the storming of 7-Elevens in New Jersey, according to news reports.

The two suspects, described as black men in ski masks with guns, went inside the stores and demanded money before making off with an unknown amount of cash, police said. The store clerks were not hurt during the frightening ordeals.

Cops believe the same two black men were involved in both robberies. They said they were dressed similarly in both hold-ups. One of the suspects is a medium-built 20- to 30 year-old man standing about 6 feet, who was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt with white rings on the sleeves, gray sweatpants, black sneakers, black gloves, a ski mask with a black handgun.

Police said the other man who was with him was also around 6 feet tall and wore a black hooded sweatshirt, black sweatpants, black and white sneakers, black gloves, a ski mask and a silver handgun.

During the second robbery, the suspects had switched up their gear a bit. One of the men wore a black hooded coat with fur around the neck while the other man was in a black hooded sweatshirt with a gold “U” on the front chest and a gold “True Religion” with a gold Buddha on the back of the sweatshirt, police said.

Those with information about the robberies are asked to call Detective Frank Burger at 609-581- 4010 or the Hamilton Police Crime Tip Hotline at 609-581- 4008.

Subscribe to Home Delivery for only $2.50 per week!

About the Author

Isaac Avilucea

Avilucea has covered courts, crime and coaching kerfuffles in New Mexico, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Jersey. He prides himself on covering First Amendment issues and was honored for helping fight against a Connecticut judge's prior restraint injunction while he worked at the Connecticut Law Tribune. Reach the author at iavilucea@trentonian.com .