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Barnegat Man Faces Prison After Robbing Store At Knifepoint For Cash, Cigarettes: Prosecutor

A 39-year-old Barnegat man pleaded guilty to robbery and numerous shoplifting incidents in Stafford Township last year, authorities said.

Nicholas Santiago

Nicholas Santiago

Photo Credit: Ocean County Department of Corrections

Per a plea agreement, Nicholas Santiago is expected to be sentenced to five years in prison for robbery and four years in prison for shoplifting, with the sentences running concurrently, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said.

On Monday, May 27, 2024, at midnight, officers responded to a convenience store on Route 72 for a report of a robbery, Billhimer said. An investigation revealed Santiago entered the store, brandished a knife at the cashier, and demanded money, cigarettes and other items, Billhimer said. The store staff turned over cash, cigarettes, and other items to Santiago who then fled the scene, Billhimer said.

Santiago was likewise identified as the individual responsible for a series of shoplifting incidents that occurred at the Shoprite in Stafford throughout May and June 2024, Billhimer said. Santiago was further identified as a suspect in a robbery that occurred at another convenience store located in New Gretna, Burlington County, on Friday, May 31, 2024.

Santiago was arrested last June and has been detained at Ocean County Jail since then, Billhimer said. The robbery charge in Burlington County remains pending, Billhimer said.

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