Clifton Liquor Store Employee Cut During Furious Struggle, Suspect Captured

CLIFTON, N.J. -- A Clifton liquor store employee was cut during a furious struggle with a knife-wielding robber who fled empty-handed, said detectives who arrested a suspect.

Kevin Owens
Photo Credit: *MUGSHOT: Courtesy CLIFTON PD*

Jerry DeMarco

12/26/2017 9:55 a.m.

The Limonta Liquors employee chased Kevin Owens, 35, of Paterson, onto Vernon Avenue, but he got away after the 7:30 p.m. attack Dec. 13, Detective Lt. Robert Bracken said.

Police pulled up as the injured employee was returning the store, which they found in complete disarray, with various broken liquor bottles on the floor, Bracken said.

Owens had entered the store moments earlier and demanded cash, but the employee refused, leading to the struggle, the lieutenant said.

The cut wasn't serious and the attendant was OK, he said.

Meanwhile, detectives identified Owens, who was arrested by Paterson police days later during an unrelated incident, Bracken said.

Owens -- who was released by a judge -- was charged with armed robbery, aggrvated assault and weapons offenses.

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