Toms River, South Toms River Men Charged In Thefts

STAFFORD, NJ — Two Toms River area men are facing theft and other charges after police arrested them in connection with a string of shoplifting incidents in Stafford Township, police there said.

Ronald Schimbauer, 50, of Toms River and Ronald Eckert, 48, of South Toms River, were arrested Thursday after members of the Stafford Township Drug Enforcement Unit saw them shoplifting items from Kohl's and Target, police said.

Stafford police had received an alert about two men shoplifting from Home Depot stores in Ocean and Monmouth counties, and started conducting surveillance when they saw two people in a black Kia Soul that matched the descriptions of the suspects.

As Schimbauer walked out of Target, detectives attempted to arrest him but he ran, police said. He was arrested after a brief chase.

Eckert, who was in the Kia, tried to drive away but he was stopped on Route 72 near near Stafford Park Boulevard, police said.

The stolen items were worth more than $2,500, police said.

Schimbauer was charged with multiple counts of shoplifting, criminal attempt to shoplift and resisting arrest and is being held at the Ocean County Jail, police said. Additional charges are pending.

Eckert was charged with possession of controlled dangerous substances (CDS) crack/cocaine, possession of CDS paraphernalia, and multiple counts of conspiracy to commit shoplifting. He also received traffic summonses for driving while suspended, operation of a motor vehicle while possession of a CDS narcotic and multiple other motor vehicle summonses, police said.

The KIA Soul that Eckert was driving was seized by Stafford police. Eckert was released on a criminal complaint summons pending a future court appearance.

With reporting by Kimberlee Bongard

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