On Thursday, June 18, 2026, members of the Bayonne Police Department responded to a report of an armed robbery that had just occurred at Jewelry by Peter, located at 180 Broadway.
According to the preliminary investigation, a male suspect entered the business wearing a surgical mask, produced what appeared to be a black handgun, and demanded $10,000 from store employees. The suspect then proceeded behind the sales counter and removed multiple pieces of jewelry valued at approximately $60,000 before fleeing the scene.
Responding officers and detectives immediately initiated a systematic search of the surrounding area. During that search, investigators recovered multiple articles of clothing, the surgical mask believed to have been worn by the suspect, and various items of stolen property in close proximity to the business.
The Bayonne Police Department Detective Bureau subsequently launched an extensive investigation, which determined that the suspect utilized a ride share service to travel from Bayonne to Jersey City following the robbery.
Through investigative efforts conducted in collaboration with the Jersey City Police Department and the New Jersey State Police, detectives tracked the suspect to a residence on Bayview Avenue in Jersey City. The suspect was identified as 24-year old Tomani Johnston.
As a result of the investigation, Johnston has been charged with Robbery, Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.
An arrest warrant has been issued for Johnston in connection with this investigation.
The Bayonne Police Department is asking anyone with information regarding his whereabouts to immediately contact the Detective Bureau at (201) 858-6925, the Bayonne Police Department Tip Line at 1-877-900-TIPS (8477), or submit an anonymous text tip by sending TIPBPD followed by the information to 274637.
Chief Scerbo commends the swift response and thorough initial on-scene investigation conducted by members of the Patrol Division, as well as the diligent and professional investigative efforts of the Detective Bureau, which resulted in the identification of Tomani Johnston as the suspect within hours of the incident.
“Thanks to the outstanding work of our officers and detectives, coupled with the cooperation of our law enforcement partners, we were able to quickly identify the individual responsible for this crime and recover a significant portion of the stolen property,” stated Chief Scerbo. “The Bayonne Police Department remains committed to ensuring that the City of Bayonne continues to be a safe community in which to live, work, and visit. Crimes of this nature will not be tolerated, and those who choose to commit criminal acts in our city should know that they will be aggressively pursued and swiftly brought to justice.”
The Bayonne Police Department would like to thank the Jersey City Police Department and the New Jersey State Police for their assistance during this investigation.
This investigation remains active and ongoing.