PARSIPPANY — On Friday, July 29 at 10:39 p.m. the Parsippany Police Department’s Communication Desk received a 911 call reporting an armed robbery in progress at The Dairy at Lake Hiawatha, 79 North Beverwyck Road.
Multiple patrol units along with Detective Keiling responded to the scene. The caller advised that a heavy set Indian male, wearing a brown and yellow shirt, with rolled up jeans entered the store and demanded the victims give him the money, while holding a knife. The caller and three other employees immediately fled from behind the counter and hid in the restroom, at which time they called 911.
Upon arrival of Patrol Officer Armenti and Silva they searched the inside of the store and found that the suspect had fled the area.
All four victims were escorted out of the bathroom by the police at which time they stated that they were not injured. Officers on scene also observed damage to multiple ice cream topping canisters that were pushed off of the top of the ice cream coolers and onto the ground by the suspect.
Shortly after Patrol Lt. T. Pomroy and Patrol Officer C. Silva began checking the surrounding area and spoke to citizens that reported a male had fled down the alley of 77 North Beverwyck Road.
The Officers immediately checked the area and found Arjuna Ganesan, 44, Parsippany, crouching down in the recess of a doorway in the alley. Mr. Ganesan’s clothing also matched the description given by the victims.
Mr. Ganesan was placed under arrest at which time three knives were found in his possession, along with a sum of cash that was stolen from the business. He was also positively identified as the person who robbed the store. He was transported back to Parsippany Police Department Headquarters were he was processed and charged with Robbery in the first degree, three counts of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon in the fourth degree, Possession of a Weapon for Unlawful Purposes, Theft of Movable Property, and Criminal Mischief.
Judge Frese set the bail at $20,000. with no 10% option. Mr. Ganesan was then transported to the Morris County Jail in default of his bail.
The Morris County Sheriff’s Department CID also responded to the scene to assist in the investigation.
