Tattoo leads to masked man's arrest after armed robbery in Jersey City: cops

TycarnHundley.jpg

Tycarn Hundley appears in court in Jersey City on Aug. 27, 2015, on armed robbery charges.

JERSEY CITY -- A pair of armed robbers got away with booze, cigars and over $1,000 in cash from a liquor store Tuesday night, but an exposed tattoo on one of the men's arm led to his arrest, authorities said.

Bail was set at $200,000 cash or bond for Tycarn Hundley, 18, of Dales Avenue when he made his first court appearance Thursday on charges that he and another person robbed a West Side Avenue liquor store at gunpoint.

According to a police report, two men who appeared to be between 19 and 21 years old entered the liquor store on the corner of West Side Avenue and Broadway at around 9:45 p.m. with guns drawn and demanded money. A store employee told police the two men fled on bikes with $1,300 in cash, a bottle of Hennessey and 15 Black & Mild cigars.

Meanwhile, a witness told police that the pair traveled west on Broadway toward the Marion Gardens public housing complex, the report states.

One of the robbers was wearing gray sweatpants, a light gray hoodie, white sneakers and a mask. The other gunman -- later identified as Hundley -- had on black sweatpants, a black shirt, white sneakers, as well as a mask, according to the report, which adds he also had dreadlocks and a tattoo of the name "Yolanda" on his left forearm.

In court yesterday, the prosecutor said Hundley was later identified by the tattoo on his arm by using security video from the robbery. However, it's unclear whether his partner has been arrested.

The incident is at least the third armed robbery in the area in the last 10 days. On Aug. 18, two boys wearing black masks, black pants and white t-shirts, entered the convenience store at the Exxon station on West Side Avenue at 11:45 p.m. and pointed a gun at three employees while demanding cash, police said.

The pair fled west on Duncan Avenue on bikes with between $800 to $1,000, police said.

Three days later, two "young men" wearing ski masks entered a Rite Aid at West Side and Sip avenues, each with a handgun, and stole money from three cash registers, Jersey City spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill said.

While Tuesday's robbery shares notable similarities with the previous incidents, police could not confirm whether Hundley has been charged with or wanted for either of the earlier robberies.

Journal city editor Patrick Villanova contributed to this report.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.