Cops: Bristol Twp. Robbery by Armed Men Caught on Video, Witness Assists with Pursuit

Three men  were arrested Saturday afternoon in connection to an alleged armed robbery in Bristol Township,  were arraigned early Sunday morning by District Court Judge Donald Nasshorn on  robbery,  conspiracy and theft charges in Newtown District Court.

The para-military styled robbery that led authorities from several jurisdictions, and  involved in the chase and capture of the defendants who wore masks, gloves, and warlike apparel as they attempted to make off with about $80,000 in cash, police say.

Johnathan Martinez- Gonzalez, 28 of Newark, Jose  Ayala- Silva, 24 of East Orange, N.J., and  Joel Torres, 23 of Somerset, N.J. were all sent to Bucks County Prison in Lieu of 10 percent $500,000.

Read About Tom Sofield’s Account of the Pursuit & Manhunt Right Here 

LevittownNow broke the story earlier Saturday afternoon  about the pursuit and arrest of the suspects as they tried to get away with the ill-gotten loot. Police from several jurisdictions pursued the white Ford Crown Victoria that had tinted windows as they attempted to flee.

According to the probable cause affidavit, four men approached Levittown Distributors around 1:05 p.m. located on 1601 Harmer Street in Bristol Township section of Levittown with weapons drawn wearing black masks over their faces.

Bristol Township police were dispatched for a robbery in progress call right around the same time as the suspects fled in their vehicle, however, the store possessed video surveillance cameras, which showed the entire robbery, court records say.

Video cameras show the white Ford Crown Victoria going by the open garage door of the tobacco distributor, while two employees were working,  court documents say.   The footage shows a vehicle backing  up to the  business, then one suspect is seen exiting the front passenger door carrying  a shortened butt shotgun and a large gym bag with a shoulder strap over his shoulder.

The driver, the tape shows, exits and opens the rear drivers side door where an arm can be seen grasping the door and shutting, court records say.

The driver,  armed with a semi-automatic handgun, police say, along with a fourth suspect, also armed with a semi-automatic handgun and wearing a Jets ball cap, as all they stalked the building wearing military like a small army of some sort, records say.

The suspects point their guns at the employees, telling them to hit the floor, then the shotgun wielding suspect and his ball cap wearing partner enter the office pointing their weapons at an office employee, then taking  his cell phone.

The suspects come out of the office with a box,  filled with about $75,000 to $80,000 in cash,the affidavit says.

A quick thinking witness,  pursued the suspects as they attempted to make a getaway, pursuing the white Ford Crown Victoria onto Bristol Pike as it was trapped in Saturday afternoon traffic, police say. The witness, in a vehicle of his own, closely followed as they approached an  intersection on the traffic jammed highway, he waved at a Tullytown Police cruiser pointing at the car the suspects were in, catching the attention of Tullytown Officer Andrew Bunda, documents say

Brunda chased behind the witness and suspects until the Crown Victoria made a left turn on the parkway, trying to reverse direction but came to a sudden stop at the intersection of  Bordentown and New Ford Mill roads in Falls Township, officials told LevittownNow on Saturday. A ll four suspects spilled out of the white car,  fleeing on foot  into the wooded wetlands by the Waste Management Landfill.

Tullytown officers came upon the white tinted window car, quickly establishing a perimeter as Lower Makefield Police with its K9 unit tracking down and apprehending, Torres,  Gonzales and Silva.

The three suspects were found cloaked by the brush and water, police say.

Police recovered a handgun and shotgun from the trunk of the white Crown Victoria, which were the weapons carried by the suspects in the taped account of the armed robbery.

Bristol Borough Officer Alifa Soto and Bristol Township Detective Greg Beidler interviewed all three suspects at township police headquarters.

Defendant Gonzalez told the officers he “knew something bad was going to happen” when they pulled up to the cigarette distributor, claiming he never left the vehicle while the robbery was taking place. He refused to give police more information about his co-conspirators.

Defendant Ayala -Silva refused to speak with authorities, however inquired about “his bail” and was told it could be “very high,” according to court records, then asking the officers, “why nobody was hurt?”

About two dozen police on the ground and in the air were involved in the hunt for the suspects causing the Bordentown and New Ford roads intersection to be closed for an extended period.

It’s not known at publication time whether a fourth suspect is in custody or still on the lam. LevittownNow  is in full pursuit of those details.

According to online court documents preliminary hearings have yet be scheduled for the three alleged armed robbers, however, District Court Judge Joann V. Kline is the scheduled justice for those hearings.

 Publisher/ Editor Tom Sofield Contributed to this Report.