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The incident occurred in the early morning hours of Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, at the Exxon Gas Station on Route 23 South, according to New Milford police. The suspect, later identified as Cole Labita, of Oak Ridge in Jefferson Township, entered the station with a firearm and demanded cash from the register, police said.
A scuffle broke out between Labita and the employees, spilling into the parking lot, where the employees managed to disarm him. Labita fled the scene on foot, police said.
Following an investigation by the West Milford Detective Bureau, with assistance from the Passaic County Sheriff’s Department K-9 Unit and Jefferson Township Police Department, Labita was identified as the suspect.
He was arrested and transported to the Bergen County Jail, and is facing several charges, including first-degree armed robbery, third-degree aggravated assault, second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and multiple other offenses.
Labita was processed under New Jersey bail reform laws and is awaiting a court appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court.
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