Point Pleasant Borough Man Charged with Stealing Car, Drug Possession

A Point Pleasant Borough man was charged with shoplifting, stealing a car, possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving with a revoked license after allegedly stealing vodka from a liquor store in Point Pleasant Borough.

Gregory Alexander, 40, of Herbertsville Road, was charged on Tuesday after a manhunt by Brick and Point Pleasant Borough police, said Point Pleasant Captain Richard Larsen.

The incident began when a male employee at Wine World liquor store on Route 88 in Brick noticed a man, who had allegedly shoplifted at the store before, was in the store again, Larsen said.

 There was no record of a prior shoplifting report to police, said Brick Police Captain John Rein.

The employee confronted the man, later identified as Alexander, who then got into a red Ford van, with the lettering, "Harry Mason" on the side, and drove off, Larsen said.

The employee then reported the information, including the vehicle plate number, to Brick police.

Brick Sgt. David Bedrosian then searched for Alexander while Brick police investigated the plate and discovered it had been reported stolen out of Atlantic City that morning, Larsen said.

Bedrosian found the red van outside Spirits Unlimited on Route 88 in Point Pleasant Borough and reported it to Point Pleasant police, Larsen said.

Point Pleasant Police Officer Loren MacIver and other officers responded to the scene and arrested Alexander inside Spirits, Larsen said.

Alexander had allegedly stolen about $150 worth of vodka, Larsen said.

Police impounded the van. Alexander was lodged in Ocean County jail on $25,000 bail.