Man wields knife in robbery

HOLMDEL - A township resident is facing multiple charges after allegedly pulling a knife on a store employee who witnessed him stealing merchandise at Best Buy.

At about 5 p.m. on Saturday, police received a report of a man who had shoplifted a laptop computer from the store, located in the Holmdel Commons plaza on Route 35. According to reports, an employee saw the man leaving through a rear service bay of the store and approached him.

The man, identified as Arthur Montague, 21, currently a resident of Holmdel Motor Inn, took out a chrome knife and started waving it toward the employee and advising him to stay away, according to police. Montague then fled on foot toward Route 35, and was apprehended a short time later hiding in a small wooded area behind the Exxon on Route 35 and Laurel Avenue.

When searched, police recovered the knife and a pull-string bag that contained a change of clothes police suspect he intended to change into after fleeing the scene. The computer, a Sony valued at $1,799, was recovered on the side of Best Buy.

Montague was taken to police headquarters and charged with robbery, shoplifting, possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. He was taken to Monmouth County jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.