After struggle, woman robbed in Denville driveway at knifepoint

DENVILLE – A township woman was robbed at knifepoint by a masked man Thursday night after she pulled into her driveway on Frazer Road, police said.

The victim was getting out of her car about 6:30 p.m. when the suspect approached and demanded her purse. She held on to the purse as he grabbed it; but after a brief struggle, he pulled the purse from her, police said.

The suspect, described as a white or Hispanic male in his late 20s or early 30s, then ran west on Augusta Street and made a left onto Legion Place. He was later seen by a neighbor running along a section of the Route 80 sound barrier, then jumping the fence along the barrier and fleeing south on Franklin Road on foot.

The victim's purse was found a few blocks away with some of the contents missing.

A neighbor saw the suspect walking down Frazer Road shortly before the woman pulled into her driveway.

"It seems to be a random incident," Police Chief Chris Wagner said.

"It's a weird spot for a robbery," he says. "If someone wanted to rob someone, you'd think they'd go to a store or mall parking lot. Frazer Road is a dead-end street where it's hard to make a quick getaway."

The Morris County Sherriff's Office K-9 unit responded to the scene to help track the suspect, but he is still at large.

Julia Martin: 973-428-6653; @JuliaMartinDR