A robber with a violent streak has victimized the same Jersey City neighborhood grocery store three times in six days this month, assaulting both the 77-year-old owner and his wife.
Augie Lopez say he and his wife, Nilda Maldonado, operate their Old Bergen Avenue store in fear these days after the incidents on Jan. 10, Jan. 15 and Jan. 16, by a masked man.
During the the first robbery, the man grabbed $10 worth of cigars, and in the second incident he got away with $20. In the third robbery, the assailant got $180.
In the first two robberies, Lopez — who undergoes dialysis treatments, has use of only one arm and has trouble walking — was knocked to the floor and suffered deep bruises.
“It’s not about the money,” said Lopez, who has run this store for the past 32 years. “I don’t make a lot of money, it’s a small store. ... He jumped me. He assaulted me so bad. ... This man took advantage of me because I couldn’t defend myself.”
During the third robbery, Lopez said he was in the back of the store when the man forced his way behind the counter, knocked his wife to the floor and emptied the cash drawer. Maldonado can be seen in a surveillance video attempting to pepper-spray the robber.
“He had a ski mask right up to his eyes, and he had gloves,” Lopez said. “This guy was a professional. He knew what he was doing. ... He’s probably been here before, like a regular customer. ... If you want to take the money, take the money, but don’t hurt people.”
Lopez said the Jersey City police have been “great — they’ve been here 100 times checking on the store” — but he is still fearful since the robber hasn’t been arrested yet. There are surveillance cameras inside and outside the store, and Thursday Lopez was adding more security.
“I have been serving the community and I say I’ll do it as long as I live, but now I am kind of fearful because he attacked me, he attacked my wife. Honestly, I am really afraid, I am not ashamed to say. ... This guy could come any time and if I am not able to fight this bastard I am afraid I could get killed.”
No arrests have been made and the robberies are still under investigation, city spokeswoman Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione said Friday.