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The 49-year-old man was convicted at trial of robbing a Maple Shade veterinary office with the knife and later entering an Acme Market -- unarmed -- and grabbing nearly $500 from a cash register, according to Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina.
Craig Greene of the first block of South Boulevard Avenue, must serve 85 percent of the term before becoming eligible for parole, the prosecutor said.
A jury in September found Green guilty of first-degree robbery, weapons offenses, two counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance and theft by unlawful taking, Coffina said.
“This was a very frightening encounter for those who were confronted by this defendant,” Coffina said on Friday. “Fortunately, nobody was harmed, and very solid police work led to a quick apprehension.”
An investigation began on the afternoon of June 5, 2019, after Maple Shade police officers were called to the VCA Maple Shade Animal Hospital on East Main Street for an armed robbery.
Police were told the robber came in through the front door, walked up to the receptionist’s desk, displayed a butcher knife and stated, “Give me the money," according to Coffina.
Greene then reached down, opened the payment drawer, removed the tray insert and left the office with $162, fleeing into a residential neighborhood, the prosecutor said. A nearby school and child care facility were notified and had to shelter-in-place while police searched the area for the suspect, he said.
Approximately four hours later, police were called to the Acme Market in the first block of West Main Street for a report of a man who had reached over a counter, Coffina said.
Greene was convicted of taking $471 from a cash register in that robbery before fleeing, the prosecutor said. A review of surveillance camera recordings helped police identify Greene as the robber, Coffina said. He did not use a weapon in the Acme robbery. He was arrested later that day as he approached his residence.
The investigation was conducted by detectives from the Maple Shade Police Department. Assistance Prosecutor Julian Harris handled the case.
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