FEBRUARY 13, 2023

NEWS RELEASE

MAN ARRESTED FOR BANK ROBBERY IN FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP

FRANKLIN TWP., N.J. – Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald, Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of County Detectives John W. Fodor, and Franklin Township Public Safety Director Quovella M. Maeweather announced the arrest of Ivan M. Baerga Jr., age 46, South Brunswick, New Jersey for a bank robbery that occurred in Franklin Township on the afternoon of Thursday, February 9, 2023.

Prosecutor McDonald stated that on Thursday, February 9, 2023, at approximately 2:49 p.m., Franklin Township Police Department received a call that a robbery had occurred at a bank located on Route 27 in the Township of Franklin. It was reported that an unknown male entered the bank and passed a note to the bank teller demanding $5000.00 in cash. The bank teller ultimately turned over an undisclosed amount of money to the male based on his demands. The suspect subsequently fled the store, and no injuries were reported.

Franklin Township Police officers and detectives responded to the scene along with detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, and the Crime Scene Investigation Unit. Detectives were able to determine that the bank robber travelled by cab to the bank. Detectives quickly located the cab in North Brunswick and learned that the same individual had also taken the cab from the bank and was still traveling in the cab with the cab driver. Detectives were successful in locating the bank robber, identified as Ivan Baerga, within a store on Route 1 in North Brunswick. Mr. Baerga was taken into custody without incident along with proceeds from the bank robbery which were recovered from Defendant Baerga.

Prosecutor McDonald stated as a result of this investigation, Defendant Baerga was charged with 2nd degree Robbery and was lodged in the Somerset County Jail pending a detention hearing in this matter.

Prosecutor McDonald, Chief Fodor and Director Maeweather request anyone with information relating to this bank robbery to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit at (908) 231-7100 or the Franklin Township Police Department at (732) 873-5533 or via the STOPit app. The STOPit app allows citizens to provide anonymous reports including videos and photos. STOPit can be downloaded to your smart phone for free at the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, access code: SOMERSETNJ. Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports and Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.

     NOTE: The charges are merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.