Officers Alaric Tucker and Julio Avarado were patrolling the area of “The Sheffield at Englewood South” apartment complex on Sterling Boulevard late Monday when they spotted the group, Detective Capt. Timothy Torell said.

As the officers watched, two teens split off and robbed the boy of his phone, Torell said Thursday.

Tucker, Alvarado and backup Officer Dylan Donegan converged on the pair -- identified as 18-year-old Rudell Akridge and a 16-year-old boy, both from Englewood -- and took them into custody.

Akridge was sent to the Bergen County Jail pending a detention hearing on charges of robbery and employing a juvenile in a crime. The boy was sent to the Juvenile Detention Center on a deliquency complaint charging him with robbery.

"As they were being arrested, officers found the other three," Torell said.

One of them, 19-year-old Malik Rector, had a knife that fell from his pocket, he said.

Rector was charged with weapons possession and hindering "after he lied about his identity to avoid being arrested on an unrelated outstanding contempt warrant," the captain said.

The other two minors were later released to their guardians without charges, he said.

An investigation was continuing, said Torell, adding that residents who see or know anything that can help police can the Englewood CrimeStoppers line at 1-844-466-6789 or city detectives directly at (201) 568-4875.

"Cash rewards are given out for any information that significantly assists in police investigations," the captain said.

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