Toms River Police Charge Lacey Township Man With Second-Degree Robbery Following An Incident At Kohls

arrested a Lacey Township man charging him with second-degree robbery after a shoplifting incident at the department store on Route 37 turned violent.

Douglas Dunsmuir, 45, of 707 Hazelton Avenue, in the Lanoka Harbor section of Lacey Township, was arrested in the incident that occurred just before 9 a.m. on Thursday.

Police responded to the store after a report that two people were observed stealing over $2,000 worth of jewelry. 

The store's Loss Prevention officers followed a female suspect out of the store when a vehicle operated by Dunsmuir drove at a high rate of speed across the parking lot at security officers who had to jump out of the way to prevent from being struck, according to a police official. 

The female then entered the Ford Explorer and the vehicle fled the shopping center.

After an investigation by Officer Roger Hull, Dunsmuir was located at his residence by Lacey Township police and was arrested. He was released on $25,000 bail. 

A warrant was issued for his wife, Lillian Dunsmuir, also for $25,000 bail. 

With a search being issued, police recovered more than $17,000 worth of merchandise from the vehicle after it was impounded. On Friday, working with the Ocean County Prosecutors Office, a search warrant was executed at the residence and additional merchandise valued at over $6,000 was recovered, said Toms River Police Chief Michael Mastronardy.

The investigation is continuing by Toms River Police Officer Roger Hull, Officer Jen Grob, Detectives Brian Lomer and Louis Santora, as well as  Lacey Township Officers Joe Soto and John Simonson, and Kohl Loss Prevention Department.