Police nab suspect after attempted motel robbery

EAST BRUNSWICK - Police arrested a man accused of attempting to hold up a township motel recently.

The arrest of Michael K. Smith, 32, of Baltimore, Md., came after police responded to Studio 6 motel, on Route 18, on a report of an attempted armed robbery at the front desk at 12:27 p.m. March 1. The caller told police that a black male dressed in a green, three-quarter-length jacket with a hood, walked to the front desk area and requested a pen. After writing a message on a piece of paper, the suspect, later determined to be Smith, handed the paper to the motel employee demanding an unspecified amount of cash and claiming to have a gun, police said.

The suspect threatened to shoot the employee if his demand was not met, according to the police report. The male employee refused to give him any money, however, and the suspect left the motel, walking toward the rear parking lot.

Upon arrival, East Brunswick Patrolman Jason Haykel observed a man matching the description of the suspect walking on Edgeboro Road. Further investigation by the officer determined that the man, Smith, was an exact match for the suspect described by the motel employee.

Smith was arrested, and police said witnesses were able to positively identify him as the man who attempted to rob the motel. Smith was also found to possess a quantity of marijuana under 50 grams, reports said.

Smith was charged with attempted armed robbery, terroristic threats and possession of marijuana under 50 grams. He was transported to the Middlesex County Correction Center, North Brunswick, and held on $10,000 bail.