February 23, 2009
1:00 PM EST

Robber asks cashier for pen, uses it to write holdup note

Suspect arrested hours later

MICHELLE SAHN

Asbury Park Press
STAFF WRITER

A Red Bank man walked into a department store, asked a cashier for a pen, then

used it to write a holdup note, police said.

Eric Greene, 23, of West Bergen Place, fled from the Marshalls store with a bag of

cash, but with help from police in two other communities, he was taken into custody

about 5 1/2 hours later, authorities said.

Shrewsbury Police Capt. Timothy Spencer said Greene walked into the store in

Shrewsbury Plaza on Broad Street around 8:45 p.m. Saturday, approached the

cashier and asked for a pen. Greene wrote a threatening note, demanding money

and indicating he had a weapon, although no weapon was shown, police said.

When the worker handed over an undisclosed amount of cash, Greene stashed the

money in a Marshalls bag, then ran away, said Spencer.

Witnesses gave local police a description, the officers gave that description to police

in surrounding communities. Red Bank Sgt. Errico Vescio realized the description

was similar to Greene. Vescio then went to Shrewsbury, reviewed some evidence

with police there, and was able to help identify Greene as the man responsible for

the robbery, said Red Bank Capt. Stephen McCarthy.

Red Bank police told Shrewsbury officers that Greene was known to frequent Asbury

Park, said Spencer.

Around 2:15 a.m. Sunday, Asbury Park police arrested Greene in the city.

He was charged with robbery and sent to the Monmouth County Jail, Freehold

Township, with bail set at $50,000.