A Bergen County man has been convicted by a Hudson County grand jury for a 2022 armed robbery spree targeting businesses in Hoboken, Jersey City, Union City, and Secaucus.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Joel Krecz, 37, of Hackensack, was found guilty of four counts of armed robbery, one count of robbery, five counts of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, five counts of unlawful possession of a weapon, five counts of theft, one count of aggravated assault, one count of possession of prohibited weapons (large capacity ammunition), and one count of possession of prohibited weapons (hollow point bullets).
He was found not guilty of one count of Aggravated Assault. The verdict was delivered before Hudson County Superior Court Judge John A. Young following a two-week long trial.
The charges stem from four armed robberies that were reported between the late night hours of Friday, April 29th, 2022 and the early morning hours of Saturday, April 30th, 2022.
In each incident, a handgun was brandished and money was demanded from the clerk working at a business.
A joint investigation by the Jersey City, Union City Police, Secaucus, and Hoboken Police Departments, as well as the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Gangs Task Force, identified Krecz as the individual wanted in connection with:
• The robbery of a liquor store on Summit Avenue in Union City on Saturday, April 30, 2022.
• The robbery of a gas station on Route 3 in Secaucus on Saturday, April 30, 2022.
• The robbery of a business on Paterson Plank Road in Union City on Saturday, April 30, 2022.
• The robbery of a liquor store on Willow Avenue in Hoboken on Saturday, April 30, 2022. Krecz was arrested in Jersey City, while in possession of a handgun, on Tuesday, May 3rd, 2022.
His sentencing is tentatively scheduled for January 17th, 2025. The State was represented at trial by Hudson County Assistant Prosecutors Kenneth Paulus and Kevin Roe.
Too bad his saggy pants and red underwear did him in.