Robbery suspect later in a pursuit
A Medford armed robbery was followed by a police chase from Camden to the Pinelands.
The day began with a robbery, and ended with a multicounty chase.
The Medford News Shop on Stokes Road was the starting point. A man wearing a heavy brown coat and black pants barged into the Medford store around 9:05 a.m. Thursday, showing a handgun and demanding money.
Once he had driven off, township police notified other agencies about his gold pickup.
A few hours later, according to several people involved in the investigation, the suspect was found in Camden.
Then came a pursuit that carved through Camden and Burlington Counties, and brought out multiple agencies - and a state police helicopter - before it ended around 1:30 p.m. in Wharton State Forest, where the suspect was caught after bailing from his vehicle, police said.
"We're still working to put all the pieces together," Medford Police Lt. Jeffrey Wagner said.
Wagner, whose agency was not involved in the pursuit, said he first heard about it around noon. The circumstances that started the chase are unclear; the Camden County Police Department did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
The pursuit ended on Tuckerton Road near Hawkins Bridge Road. Drivers in the area are often at the mercy of dirt roads filled with loose sand and large puddles, which can spin vehicles into trees.
Perhaps that's why the maximum speed reached was 25 m.p.h., state police said, once the suspect hit the area of the forest.
Police did not report any injuries from the pursuit, which appeared to go more than 20 miles, crossing through towns such as Cherry Hill and Shamong.
It wasn't clear whether the suspect was armed at the time of his arrest, and authorities did not disclose how much money was taken during the robbery. No charges had been filed Thursday afternoon.