Armed robbery probe leads to search warrant and arrest in South River
SOUTH RIVER, NJ – A masked robbery inside a Main Street repair shop set off a monthlong investigation that ended with an early-morning raid on a Burton Avenue home and the arrest of a local man, while a second suspect remains at large.
The case stems from a January 2 incident at ML Computer Repair, located at 34 Main Street, where two masked suspects entered the business shortly before 7 p.m. One suspect displayed what appeared to be a handgun, while the second carried an item later determined to contain pepper spray. Investigators said the suspects threatened an employee, sprayed him in the face with pepper spray, then fled with cash and personal and business property.
Detectives reviewed extensive surveillance footage from the area to track the suspects’ movements before and after the robbery and coordinated with Sayreville Police, which was investigating a similar incident. The joint effort helped establish probable cause for a court-authorized search warrant.
During the early morning hours of February 5, officers from the South River Police Department, assisted by the Middlesex County Special Operations Response Team, executed the warrant at a residence on Burton Avenue.
Fernando Ramosgarcia, 30, of South River, was taken into custody and charged with first-degree robbery, third-degree aggravated assault, third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon.
Investigators said one suspect involved in the robbery remains unidentified, and the investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to contact Detective Sgt. Kenneth Nale at 732-254-9002 ext. 123. As with all criminal cases, the charges are accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Key Points
- A January armed robbery at a South River repair shop led to an arrest
- A search warrant was executed at a Burton Avenue residence
- One suspect remains unidentified as the investigation continues