

EAST ORANGE — A 26-year-old man who allegedly robbed a dollar store at gunpoint was tracked down and caught by detectives within minutes of the crime, police say.

Cameras caught nearly all the action.

Khaiuan Purnell, 26, walked into the Family Dollar Store on Springdale Avenue Monday morning at 10 a.m., police say. Purnell then pulled out a black handgun and demanded all the money in the register, said Sgt. Andrew DiElmo.

The dollar-store clerk triggered the silent alarm, and told Purnell so, DiElmo said. Purnell then fled the store, authorities say.

Khaiuan Purnell, 26

In less than a minute, police had responded to the store and had a description of Purnell. The city’s widespread anti-crime cameras began canvassing the area for a person matching the description – and that person was spotted heading east on Park Avenue, DiElmo said.

What happened next is caught on those same cameras. Officers converged on the area, and two detectives parked their car in front of the suspect, who began to run. Detective Anthony Peters runs out of the car and does a flying tackle in the middle of the street, sending the suspect’s gun flying out of his waistband. Police then cuff Purnell and take him to a patrol car.

Purnell was charged with robbery, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, obstructing the administration of justice, resisting arrest by flight, and resisting arrest by force, DiElmo said. Purnell is currently awaiting an arraignment on $150,000 cash bail, DiElmo added.

The cameras that were used to catch Purnell have been a vital tool to catch suspects — and even to prevent crime, authorities say.

“This is just another example of the East Orange Police Department’s combined efforts between the uniformed and investigative units, as well as the utilization of technology that brought this individual and others whom choose to commit crimes with the city’s borders to justice,” said Inspector Thomas Koundry, the acting chief. “We will use all available resources at our disposal to prevent and solve these heinous crimes.”

The Real-Time Crime Prevention Center that East Orange Police use was started in 2005. It employs more than 50 cameras covering roughly three-quarters of the city, DiElmo said.

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