A pair of local men have been charged with entering a locked storage compound at the Toms River Walmart store and using bolt cutters to open it in an attempt to steal batteries.
Thomas A. Palmarini, 40, from the 2100 block of Eisenhower Road in Toms River and David G. Lemon, 56, of Mill Creek Road in Bayville, are both now facing charges of criminal mischief with additional charges pending.
According to police spokesman Ralph Stocco, Walmart loss prevention employees called police after they noticed the two men circling the storage compound in a white van. Eventually, said Stocco, they were observed exiting the vehicle with their hoods pulled up over their heads to conceal their identities from any views of surveillance cameras.
The men then approached a fenced in area at the northwest corner of the building that contains large commercial batteries and automotive batteries, Stocco said, at which point they were observed using bolt cutters to remove the lock to the gate.
They escaped by jumping over a fence to the rear of the store and entering the woods on foot, police said.
Toms River police later identified the pair.
They were taken into custody and released on a summons pending a future court appearance, Stocco said, and additional charges are still under review.
Photos of the men were not available.
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