Man Throws Bench Through Manahawkin Store, Tries To Set Restaurant On Fire

STAFFORD TOWNSHIP, NJ - Stafford Township police arrested an Oakhurst man who went on a rampage early Thursday morning, threw a park bench through a convenience store, robbed the store, then tried to set the Villagio Restaurant on fire, Lt. James R. Vaughn said.

Ernest C. Lathom, 39, was charged with burglary, theft and criminal mischief, after police spotted him riding his bicycle on Route 9 near the Cedar Run Apartments, he said.

Lathom threw a park bench through the glass front door of the McKinley Avenue convenience store, went inside and stole cigarettes, cigars and lighters. Then he went to the Villagio Restaurant, threw landscaping rocks through the glass windows, took several aprons and tried to ignite them to with cooking grease to set the rear outside wall of the building on fire, Vaughn said.

"Lathom was unsuccessful as the building consists of concrete and stone, but he did manage to blackened the rear exterior wall," he said.

Police responded to the area at 6 a.m. on Aug. 31 after a delivery man spotted the damage.

Stafford detectives reviewed the video surveillance from the McKinley Avenue Convenience Store to identify Lathom. The department had previous, but limited contact with Lathom. Detective Chris Mulch spotted Lathom riding his bicycle on Route 9 in the area of the Cedar Run Apartments, which is where he was known to occasionally stay. He was into custody by Mulch and Patrolman Luna without incident.

Lathom was charged with burglary, theft and criminal mischief to the McKinley Avenue Convenience Store, and three counts of third degree criminal mischief to the Villagio Restaurant. He was taken to the Ocean County Jail in Toms River, pending a medical and psychological evaluation.

The Stafford Township Police Department was assisted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, the Ocean County Fire Marshall, the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department CSI Unit, and the Stafford Township Fire Department.

Photo: Patch file photo