TEQUILA SHOTS: Liquor Shoplifters Armed With Sawed-Off Shotgun Taken Down By Hoboken Police

Apparently tequila and illegally altered firearms don’t mix…

Police were called to Giannone Wine and Liquor (301 River Street) at 2 p.m. on Tuesday for a shoplifting incident. Upon arrival, Officer Joseph Mezzina and Officer Jonathan Lyons found two males—Raffaelle Spadavecchia, 18, of Hoboken and Eric Williams, 20, of Jersey City—still in the vicinity, that were involved in concealing a $50 bottle of Patron Tequila and leaving the store without payment. Motor Cycle Officer Dylan Archilla responded as back up.

Officer Lyons, who recently graduated from the police academy observed a long, dark object protruding from underneath Spadaveccia’s clothing.  Officer Archilla immediately reacted and disarmed the suspect taking control of him and securing the weapon, while Lyons took control of Williams.

The weapon was found to be a sawed-off shotgun (similar to the photo above), concealed under a sweatshirt via a belt over Spadaveccia’s shoulder. He now faces a slew of weapons charges, as well as the initial shoplifting charge.

Williams, also charged with shoplifting, had an outstanding warrant. They were both transported to the Hudson County Correctional Facility.

“I commend the outstanding display of bravery by Officer Dylan Archilla who quickly reacted to physically disarm the individual who was possessing a loaded, sawed-off shotgun and take him down without injury to the suspect, the officers or any innocent civilians,” said Hoboken Police Chief Ken Ferrante. “I further commend the keen eye of Officer Jonathan Lyons, a rookie officer who is still in his Field Training period, who was the first one to see the shotgun under the suspect’s clothing and immediately reacted and alerted Officer Archilla!”

Cheers to that…