Arrest made in Lacey Wawa gas station robbery

A 20-year-old man arrested in connection with the November 30, 2015 robbery of the Wawa gas station on Lacey Road in the Forked River section, might be responsible for other crimes in Toms River, Manchester and Little Egg Harbor, according to authorities. 

Troy D. Schwartz, who police said lived in the Little Egg Harbor area during his teen years and was last known to reside in Manchester, has been charged with one count of robbery in the Lacey Wawa incident and was served with a complaint warrant at the Mercer County Correctional Facility where he's being held on other warrants, according to a news release on the Lacey Police Department's website.

Schwartz allegedly approached a 16-year-old male gas attendant shortly before 7 p.m. on November 30, 2015, and asked him to break a large bill. When the employee opened the kiosk cash drawer, that's when police said Schwartz demanded money. The employee activated a silent alarm, but the suspected robber escaped on foot with about $400.00 cash.

Lacey Detective Brian Flynn and Toms River Detective Randy Petrick interviewed Schwartz was he was ultimately charged.

Several other agencies, including: Toms River, Manchester, and Little Egg Harbor are investigating Schwartz's possible involvement in additional crimes in their jurisdictions including a Wawa robbery in Little Egg Harbor which occurred several days after the Lacey robbery.

The type of robbery committed in Lacey is a second-degree crime with a possible term of incarceration set at 5-10 years.