MIDDLETOWN – Township police responded at about 6:45 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 19, to a report of an armed robbery at the Rite Aid Pharmacy located on Newman Springs Road in Lincroft.
According to police, the suspect, Jayson Turegano, 24, of Hurley’s Lane, Lincroft, entered the store and jumped over the pharmacy counter. Turegano is alleged to have grabbed the pharmacist, then placed a scissor blade to his neck, threatened him and demanded Oxycodone pills. He then fled the store with a bottle of pills.
Patrolman Michael Pintilie, who responded to the scene, recognized Turegano from the store surveillance video and from a previous call he had handled earlier in the evening. Cpl. Bernie Chenoweth and patrolman John Mele then conducted a thorough canvass of the area and located additional witnesses. Sgt. Gerald Weimer and patrolman David Crenshaw located Turegano at about 3:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 20, in a common area in Loftman Towers, a nearby housing complex. He was taken into custody and brought to police headquarters.
Detective First Class Kelly Godley and detectives Laurence Schachtel and Keith Hirschbein conducted a follow up investigation which resulted in Turegano being charged with robbery, making terroristic threats, theft, unlawful possession of oxycodone, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a weapon.
He was being held at the Monmouth County Correctional Facility in Freehold on $75,000 bail set by Judge Richard Thompson.
Detective Lt. Stephen Dollinger credited the team work displayed by all of the officers involved for the quick resolution of the incident and said the officers should be commended for their professionalism and diligence in making the arrest.
