A man accused of trying to rob a restaurant in New Jersey used Google Translate to communicate his demands, police say.
The Newark Police Department said Wednesday that the suspect went into a restaurant in Newark, New Jersey, on the morning of Feb. 20, ordered coffee and, using Google Translate to communicate in Spanish, demanded the cashier open the register or otherwise he would shoot.
The cashier fled, and the suspect tried to remove the register himself but failed. He then threw his coffee away and also fled the scene.
Newark police did not mention any injuries resulting from the alleged robbery attempt and did not say whether the suspect brandished a gun.
The suspect’s use of translation was based on a false assumption. The proprietor of the Mi Rinconcito Ecuatoriano restaurant told News 12 New Jersey that the cashier also spoke English.
“We are left with fear, because … we think it can happen again,” the owner, Maria, who did not provide her surname, told the TV station.
Newark police said the suspect is a Black man who was wearing black clothing and a black mask at the time of the incident. They posted images of him on X.
Police Seek Help ID’ing 2-20-26 Business Robbery Suspect at 100 block of South St. The suspect announced a robbery using Google Translate app, threatening to shoot the victim, and attempted to remove the cash register, but was unable to take it. He fled. Call:
1-877-NWK-TIPS. pic.twitter.com/uhzEnuhUaQ
— Newark Department of Public Safety (@PublicSafetyNWK) March 4, 2026
Police ask that anyone with information call 877-NWK-TIPS.
