Serial Robbery Suspect Arrested in Maple Shade

An alleged serial robber’s two-week, one-man crime spree came to an end Thursday, as members of the U.S. Marshal’s and Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office’s fugitive task forces arrested him at a Maple Shade motel after an extensive, multi-jurisdiction investigation, the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office announced Friday.

James Paul Taormina, 30, who has previous addresses in Turnersville and Atco, was caught at the Clover Motel on Route 73 in Maple Shade and initially charged with the in Washington Township.

A search of Taormina’s hotel room on a warrant then connected him with several other armed robberies, and he was hit with charges for allegedly robbing four convenience stores in and West Deptford townships between Feb. 10 and Feb. 19.

Taormina is currently in jail on $300,000 bail—$200,000 for the and $100,000 for the Washington Township incidents. Prosecutors said they expect Cherry Hill police to file more charges for a Feb. 12 armed robbery there, and additional bail is pending in Camden County for the robberies.

So far, he’s been charged with bank robbery, armed robbery, theft, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a weapon.

“We are pleased to get this dangerous, serial robber off our streets,” said Gloucester County Prosecutor Sean F. Dalton. “I would like to express my thanks to all participating agencies whose hard work, communication and coordination contributed to this arrest.”

The search for Taormina was coordinated between police from the four towns where he allegedly struck, and Chief Craig Mangano hailed it as a shared victory.

“It’s a clear example of what can be accomplished when multiple police agencies come together in an effort to combat crime, to make our towns and counties safer,” Mangano said.

Washington Township Chief Rafael Muniz credited his department’s detectives, who he said put all their resources into capturing Taormina.

“The efforts of these detectives and the cooperation of other police agencies resulted in the swift apprehension of this dangerous suspect,” Muniz said. “We also appreciate the cooperation demonstrated by several witnesses who were instrumental in his capture.”

Prosecutors said media reports about Taormina, including the publishing and broadcasting of his picture, generated several tips that helped in the investigation and arrest.

Surveillance photos from the robberies, as well as unsuccessful robberies in Glassboro and Washington Township, showed Taormina in what became a uniform of sorts, a gray hooded sweatshirt and black baseball cap, as he brandished either a knife or a hammer while allegedly robbing 7-Elevens in Gloucester Township and One Stop Shoppes in West Deptford.

In all, Taormina allegedly hit at least eight different locations, coming away with cash in six robberies, including the TD Bank robbery.

In at least two of the convenience store robberies, Taormina allegedly grabbed a cup of coffee or another item before going up to the register to rob the cash register.