MANALAPAN – A motor vehicle stop led to the arrest of a wanted woman and charges of manufacturing drugs being lodged against two individuals on the afternoon of Nov. 20.
Manalapan Police Capt. Thomas Barstow reported that at 5:26 p.m., Patrolman Jeffrey Emslie was operating a marked police vehicle that was equipped with a license plate reader system.
Barstow said Emslie located a 2011 Ford Escape that had been reported stolen from Chesterfield, Burlington County. The officer conducted a motor vehicle stop in the parking lot of Starbucks on Route 9 north, just north of Taylors Mills Road.
Upon confirming that the vehicle was stolen, Emslie, with the assistance of officers Bryan Belardo, Sean McCarthy and Peter Bylsma, removed two people from the sport utility vehicle.
The driver was identified as Randy William Lembcke, 27, of Conway, S.C.,
and the passenger was identified as Tara Jeanne Anders, 23, of Conway, S.C. Lembcke and Anders were placed under arrest on charges of possession of a stolen vehicle, according to police.
Upon further investigation, it was learned that Anders was a wanted fugitive out of the city of North Miami, Fla.
Police said Lembcke and Anders were allegedly found to be manufacturing methamphetamines out of the rear of the vehicle. At that point, the New Jersey State Police Bomb Squad, Narcotics Unit, New Jersey state and Monmouth County Hazmat teams and Manalapan Police Detective Jared Aronson responded to the scene.
Starbucks was evacuated and closed until the scene was made safe, according to police.
Police reported that Lembcke and Anders were each charged with receiving stolen property, manufacturing a controlled dangerous substance (CDS) production facility, manufacturing a CDS, possession of a CDS, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a hypodermic syringe.
Lembcke and Anders were initially placed in the Monmouth County jail, Freehold Township. Bail for each was set at $232,000 for the charges related to the motor vehicle stop in Manalapan.
An additional $250,000 bail was placed on Anders, who was also charged with being a fugitive from justice, according to police.
