Armed Robber Hits Wawa Service Station

Toms River police are investigating the third armed robbery of a service station in a week in the township.

This robbery occurred at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Wawa located at the corner of Route 70 and Massachusetts Avenue, Chief Michael Mastronardy said. 

A male about 20 years old, 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, dressed in a black puffy coat, black pants and a black ski mask armed with a box cutter demanded cash from a male gas attendant, Mastronardy said. After getting about $40 from the attendant, witnesses said, the suspect got into an older dark color Toyota pickup truck with a dark color bed cover and fled the station.

There were no injuries in the robbery. Officer Pascal Gambardella, Sergeant Ralph Stocco and Detective James Magovern are investigating.

While this is the third time in a week that a service station has been robbed, the suspect in the Wawa case is different. Police noted the suspects in the other two robberies -- on Nov. 5, at the , and on Nov. 10, at the -- were described as being 5-foot-6 with a medium build and dressed in a sweatshirt and jeans or black pants.

An earlier story said the suspects in all three robberies appeared to be similar; that is not the case.

Anyone with information in any of the cases may call Toms River police at 732-349-0150.