Bergen Man Arrested for Attempted Armed Robbery

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Westwood NJ, Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo announced the arrest of DUSTIN VAN RIPER (DOB: 12/22/1995; single; unemployed) of 150 Sunset Lane, Old Tappan NJ on charges of Attempted Armed Burglary, Possession Of A Weapon For An Unlawful Purpose, and Resisting Arrest in Old Tappan, NJ; as well as Possession Of A Weapon For An Unlawful Purpose and Resisting Arrest in Westwood, NJ. The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Robert Anzilotti.

On Friday, December 7, 2018, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office received information that Dustin VAN RIPER attempted to break into a residence in Old Tappan, NJ and then fled the scene after the Old Tappan Police arrived at the scene. After fleeing the scene, VAN RIPER was located in the backyard of 201 Mill Street, Westwood, NJ, holding a weapon. When officers from the Westwood Police Department approached VAN RIPER, he disregarded their instructions to drop the weapon. A Westwood Police Officer fired one shot from the officer’s service weapon in the direction of VAN RIPER. VAN RIPER was not struck by the gunshot. VAN RIPER immediately dropped the weapon, and the Westwood Police Department placed him into custody.

As a result of the investigation, Dustin VAN RIPER was arrested on Friday, December 7, 2018, by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and charged with the following offenses for conduct that occurred in Old Tappan: one count of Attempted Armed Burglary, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-1/2C:18-2b, a 2nd degree crime; one count of Possession Of A Weapon For An Unlawful Purpose, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4D, a 3rd degree crime; and one count of Resisting Arrest, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:29-2a, a 4th degree crime. For conduct that occurred in Westwood, VAN RIPER was charged with one count of Possession Of A Weapon For An Unlawful Purpose, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4A-1, a 2nd degree crime; and one count of Resisting Arrest, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:29-2A-3b, a 3rd degree crime.

Acting Prosecutor Calo states that the charges are merely accusations and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and would like to thank the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office for its assistance with this investigation.