Blind Man Arrested as Part of Black Armed Robbery Gang

NJ
December 23, 2013

Police arrested four people, including a blind man, after two men were robbed of their cell phones and cash at gunpoint Tuesday night.

According to Teaneck Police Chief Robert Wilson, the victims were waiting to meet a female acquaintance at the intersection of Linden Avenue and Kipp Street at around 8:30 p.m. when they were approached by two men wearing masks that only covered the bottom halves of their faces.

One of the men lifted his shirt to flash a handgun stuffed in his waistband, and threatened to shoot the victims if they tried to run, Wilson said. No shots were fired, but they eventually made off on foot with cash and each of the men’s phones.

When officers arrived on scene, the victims provided them with descriptions of each of their assailants, including that one appeared to be blind.

“They based this assessment on the appearance of the actor’s eyes and the manner in which he was being led around by the second actor,” Wilson said.

An investigation led detectives to a home on American Legion Drive, where suspects Andre Ziemoore, Marshall Harper and Ayesha Mitchell live. They watched as the trio, along with Jamila Eason of Englewood, hopped into a Ford Freestar minivan and drove to a nearby Stop & Shop supermarket.

Once there, Ziemoore jumped out of the van and grabbed a plastic bag, which had been buried under a patch of snow beneath a tree, Wilson said.

Police pulled them over as it left the parking lot, and received permission from Mitchell to search the van. Inside the plastic bag, they found the two cell phones that had been taken from the victims.

All four were taken to Teaneck police headquarters as detectives obtained a search warrant for the American Legion Drive home. Once inside, they found a black handgun, as well as clothes allegedly worn by the attackers during the robbery, according to Wilson.

Ziemoore, 21, and Harper, 25, were each charged with first-degree robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a firearm and luring an adults. Ziemoore was also charged with certain persons not to have a weapon.

Both were taken to the Bergen County Jail, where they were held on $250,000 bonds.

Mitchell, 22, was charged with conspiracy to commit robbery, possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a firearm, hindering arrest, receiving stolen property and possession of marijuana. She was taken to the Bergen County Jail and held on $175,000 bond.

Eason, 19, was charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and luring an adult, and was held on $100,000 bond.

All four were scheduled to make an an initial appearance in Teaneck Municipal Court on Dec. 23.