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John Vonborstel, 42, had a warrant issued for his arrest 10 days ago after he was identified from a surveillance photo that showed him at the CVS on Fair Lawn Avenue — where, police said, he struck a female employee in the face when she tried to stop him.
Vonborstel was headed out the back door with a basket containing nearly $250 worth of Vicks cold medication and energy drinks when the 40-year-old worker chased after him and grabbed the basket, Sgt. Brian Metzler said at the time.
He then “swung his body around and struck the employee in the face,” after which Vonborstel “dropped the basket and fled the store and was last seen running through the rear parking lot to Warren Road,” he said.
The Fair Lawn Volunteer Ambulance Corps. treated the employee for a nose injury. She declined transportation to a hospital, Metzler said.
Last night, Detective Lt. Michael Uttel and Detectives Jeff Welsh and Paul Donohue were at at Fair Lawn Municipal Court, on the second floor of borough hall, when Vonborstel came in to answer theft and credit card fraud charges, the sergeant said.
He was arrested and taken to the Bergen County Jail, where he was being held on $20,000 bail, charged with robbery and aggravated assault.
Borstel has a record, including a heroin possession arrest last spring during a massive crackdown spearheaded by Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli with his counterparts from Passaic and Morris counties. He was among 325 accused users and dealers taken into custody as part of the initiative.
MUGSHOT: Courtesy BERGEN COUNTY SHERIFF / SURVEILLANCE IMAGE: Courtesy FAIR LAWN PD
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