Woman Poured Gasoline On Teen, Threatened, Robbed Him: Manchester PD

MANCHESTER, NJ ? A Manchester Township woman has been charged with aggravated assault and robbery in a June incident where an 18-year-old was robbed, Manchester police said Tuesday.

Eboni T. Hester, 27, was arrested July 28, Manchester Police Chief Robert M. Dolan said. She is charged with robbery, aggravated assault, unlawful possession of weapons, possession of weapons for unlawful purposes, and theft, Dolan said.

Hester is accused of meeting an 18-year-old at Dollar General, 1924 Route 37 in Manchester, on June 21 on the pretext of buying some items he was selling, police said. Hester had contacted the teen through Snapchat, police said.

Instead of buying items, Hester poured gasoline from a water bottle all over the teen and threatened him with a butane torch while forcing him to give her his sneakers, clothing, approximately $300 in cash, and his cell phone, police said. After robbing the teen, Hester took off westbound on State Highway 37, police said.

The 18-year-old reported the robbery at Manchester Township Police Headquarters that afternoon, police said.

Hester was identified as a person of interest and later the investigation, led by Detective Victoria Guarino, found sufficient incriminating evidence to charge her, police said.

Hester is being held at the Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing.

"As a reminder to the public, Manchester Township has established a 'Safe Exchange Zone' at the Municipal Complex where residents can complete online purchase transactions and make child custodial exchanges," police said in releasing the information about the theft.

The Safe Exchange Zone, created to address safety concerns involved with online purchases from websites such as Craigslist, eBay, Facebook, and classified ads, is in the main visitor parking lot on the northeast side of the Manchester Township Municipal Complex on Colonial Drive, is well-lit and under continuous video surveillance.

The designated exchange area consists of two clearly marked parking spaces adjacent to town hall, where buyers, sellers and families can meet and make exchanges. The marked area is under 24-hour video surveillance recorded by state-of-the-art high-definition security cameras, police said.

The Ocean County Sheriff?s Office Crime Scene Investigations Unit assisted with the investigation, police said.