‘Walk Camera Helps Nab Suspects in Robbery

WILDWOOD – Members of Wildwood Police Department Uniform Patrol Division were dispatched to Wildwoods Convention Center, located on the 4500 block Boardwalk in Wildwood, for a report of a robbery April 28 at approximately 9:30 p.m.
Upon arrival, officers learned the victims, two juvenile males from Pennsylvania ages 16 and 17 years old, were walking to an event at Wildwoods Convention Center when they were stopped by two black males in the area of Andrews Avenue and the Boardwalk. During this encounter, the subjects removed the victims’ wallets and took approximately $100 from each before fleeing.
During the ensuing investigation conducted by Wildwood Police Department Detective Division, video surveillance footage from city-owned cameras on the boardwalk were reviewed and photographs of the subjects were obtained. With the assistance of North Wildwood Police Department Detective Division and the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office, the subjects were ultimately identified as Jaquan Bartee, 18, from the Whitesboro section of Middle Township, and a 16-year-old male juvenile from Wildwood. On April 29, Bartee and the 16-year-old juvenile were located and taken into custody.
The 16-year-old juvenile was charged with two counts of robbery, a crime of the second degree, and two counts of conspiracy to commit robbery, a crime of the second degree. These charges were placed on juvenile complaints and he was released to his parent.
Bartee was charged with two counts of robbery, a crime of the second degree, two counts of conspiracy to commit robbery, a crime of the second degree, obstructing the administration of law, a crime of the fourth degree, and possession of marijuana, a disorderly persons offense. A warrant was authorized by Dorothy Garrabrant, judge of the Wildwood Municipal Court, and bail was set at $120,000 full cash, no ten percent. Bartee was unable to post bail and was lodged at the Cape May County Correctional Center.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. This report is based on information received from law enforcement.