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The victim told police in Sparta that the men, later identified as Jeremy Barcoski, 47 of Sparta, NJ and Zarko Tamburin, 46 of Morristown, were drunk and doing drugs when she arrived at the Main Street apartment on Jan. 29, according to Sparta police.
The woman told both men she was leaving, but they took her bag away from her and stole her money, police said. During a brief argument, one of the men pulled out a handgun and pointed it at her, saying he was going to kill her, authorities said.
Police later determined the gun was fake.
Then, the other man came out of the kitchen holding a kitchen knife. The woman was eventually given her bag back without the money and fled the apartment, police said.
A warrant was executed on the apartment by the New Jersey State Police TEAMS unit, who found Barcoski and Tamburin, and placed them under arrest, authorities said.
During the search of the apartment, an imitation revolver, an imitation semi-automatic style handgun, two sets of throwing knives, and a sword were seized, police in Sparta said.
"During the time of the robbery the victim was unaware that the above imitation firearm used during the incident was not a real handgun," police said in the release. "She explained to the investigators that she believed that she was confronted with a real firearm and that she was fearful that she would be harmed."
Both men were charged with robbery, terroristic threats, weapons offenses, and more, and lodged in the Morris County Jail.
New Jersey State Police, Newton Police, The Sussex County Prosecutors office and the Sussex County Sherrif’s Office assisted in the investigation.
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