Paterson NJ police are looking into a recent theft attempt in which the victim was able to fend off his attackers by using an umbrella that he was carrying at the time.

According to Paterson NJ officials, the theft incident went down around 6:30 a.m. in the area of the intersection of Ellison Street and Rosa Parks Boulevard in Paterson, NJ.

The victim is a 62-year-old man who resides in Paterson, New Jersey. He was walking on Ellison Street when two men allegedly approached him and tried to hold him up. One of the men reportedly held a handgun and put it in the victim’s face while demanded that he hand over his money.

The victim managed to keep his attackers at by with his umbrella. At one point, he reportedly told the suspect that he would not be giving them his cash. He then used his umbrella to strike the suspect who was holding the gun.

The suspects ran away from the suspect and headed in the direction of Broadway.

The victim later contacted the Paterson Police Department and alerted law enforcement. Paterson NJ police officers canvassed the area for the suspects, but they could not locate them. Investigators have not yet identified either of the theft crime suspects.

If police are eventually able to determine the suspects’ identities, criminal charges for armed robbery and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose would likely follow.

A conviction for robbery would subject the suspects to significant penalties. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1, robbery is a first degree crime when the offender used a deadly weapon like a handgun or a knife. A conviction on first degree armed robbery charges could result in a sentence of 10-20 years in New Jersey State Prison.

For additional information about this case, read the NJ.com article, “Umbrella-Wielding Man Fights off Armed Robber in Paterson, Cops Say.”