A suspect in two armed robberies of the same Atlantic City liquor store was arrested at a Ventnor apartment with a gun more than two months earlier.
Robert Arroyo, 39, who lists a Pleasantville address, was arrested Tuesday, outside that same apartment on North Weymouth Avenue where he was found with a gun Feb. 9.
A search of the apartment last week led to the recovery of another weapon, a Ruger handgun, along with two magazines of ammunition, according to the affidavit of probable cause obtained by BreakingAC.
The gun later was determined to be the same one used in two armed robberies within about a three-week span in Atlantic City, the affidavit alleges.
Police were called to a liquor store on the 3300 block of Atlantic Avenue at about 11:30 p.m. April 4, for the report of an armed robbery
The suspect pointed a handgun at two employees and demanded money from the cash register, according to the charges. He ran when a customer came into the store.
A review of surveillance video later showed the suspect leaving Caesars Atlantic City, the affidavit states. State Police were able to identify a photo of the man as Arroyo.
On April 26, police again were called to the same store.
At that time, the owner said a man came in, got a Heineken from the back cooler and came up to the register.
The man then got behind the counter, and pointed a gun at the owner, demanding money, the affidavit in that case states.
After getting the money, the man then ran. Surveillance footage led to him being identified as Arroyo.
Three days later, Detective Aaron Jones and the U.S. Marshals Service New York/New Jersey Fugitive Task Force found Arroyo outside the Ventnor apartment, Atlantic City Capt. Kevin Fair said.
A warranted search of the apartment led to the Ruger handgun with mounted light allegedly used in both robberies.
The gun's case and a magazine were found under a dresser in the room, but the gun was hidden between trash bags containing clothing, according to the affidavit. There, police also found another magazine with 21 cartridges of ammunition.
It was not the first time Arroyo was found with a gun at that apartment, BreakingAC discovered.
Police responding to a domestic incident at the address Feb. 9, had an interaction with Arroyo, who was not involved in the domestic issue.
He told officers that he had a handgun on him, according to the affidavit in that case.
Police took the gun, and found that Arroyo had a warrant out of Northfield. They also discovered he had two prior convictions, making him a certain person not allowed to possess a weapon.
He was charged on a summons at that time. It was not clear if he was jailed on the Northfield warrant.
Arroyo is currently in the Atlantic County Justice Facility.
