A motel robbery led to an intense manhunt on Sunday afternoon in Barnegat.

Barnegat Police say two armed men, James Boone, 22, of Toms River, and Lance Alexander, 27, of Philadelphia, broke into a room at the Barnegat Motel on Route 9 around 12:45 p.m.  demanding money. The pair fought with a man staying in the room and took off in a white Ford Crown Victoria which was found on Water Street 15 minutes later.

Police immediately established a perimeter around the wooded, marshy area and began a search on the ground with K9 dogs foom the Ocean County Sheriff's Department and Little Egg Harbor Police Department and in the air with a New Jersey State Police helicopter which spotted the two men around 3 p.m.

During the search an alert was issued by police for residents in the area of Ridgeway Street, Water Street and  Bayshore Drive to stay indoors and lock their doors and windows.Police later found  a black BB gun in the room at the motel.  Boone and Alexander were taken into custody without incident

Alexander was charged with 1st degree robbery, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and aggravated assault. He is being held in the Ocean County Jail on $70,000 bail. (no 10% option). Boone was charged with 2nd degree robbery on  $30,000 bail (no 10% option).

 

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