6 charged after Englewood gas station manager beaten during post-party robbery

ENGLEWOOD (WABC) -- Police have arrested six people in connection with a shoplifting that turned into a robbery and aggravated assault at a gas station in New Jersey.

The incident happened in the early morning hours of January 25 at a location on Route 4 in Englewood.

Authorities say two car loads of individuals, mostly from the Bronx and coming from a late-night party in Englewood, entered the station's store area.

According to police, some persons in the group began stealing small items like candy, cigarettes and lighters, when the store manager intervened.

The employee was then set upon by the group and hit with objects that were for sale in the store.

He reportedly suffered numerous cuts and bruises.

The suspects then exited the store and fled the area in the vehicles they arrived in.

On April 2, armed with arrest warrants, a team of Englewood and NYPD detectives swept through several locations in the Bronx.

They arrested:

Michael Lauture, age 18 - 1st degree Robbery, 2nd degree Aggravated Assault and 4th degree Rioting

Marcus Hairston, age 18 - 1st degree Robbery, 2nd degree Aggravated Assault & 4th degree Rioting

Charles Ward, age 21 - 1st degree Robbery, 2nd degree Aggravated Assault & 4th degree Rioting

Tyquan Strother, age 18 - 1st degree Robbery, 2nd degree Aggravated Assault & 4th degree Rioting

Alonzo Richardson, age 19, 2nd degree Aggravated Assault, 3rd degree Weapons Possession & 4th degree Rioting

A sixth person has been charged with disorderly persons simple assault and disorderly persons hindering an investigation. Ebenita Wright, 51, surrendered Monday at Englewood Police Headquarters. Her charges allege that on the night of the attack, she was with the five above charged defendants but did not participate in the shoplifting. Video from the store's security surveillance system shows Wright trying to usher Lauture, Hairston, Ward and Strother out of the store area when the group began arguing with the manager about the pilfered items.

However, after the store manager went outside, police say Wright shoved, struck the manager with her handbag and attempted to prevent the manager from writing down the license plates of the vehicles the group were travelling in.