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Asbury Park Police have confirmed the apprehension a 43-year-old woman they believe to be the wig wearing thief wanted in multiple jurisdictions, including Toms River and Wall.

“We aren’t 100 percent sure but we strongly believe that it is the same person,” department spokesman Sgt. Michael Casey.

Casey said, Toms River and Wall police came to the Asbury Park station to assist with the investigation and identification, and that the department is awaiting further confirmation based on the suspect’s Arizona identification.

Brooke B. Slade, 43, is charged with criminally eluding apprehension, two counts of receiving stolen property, possession of a controlled dangerous substance – Xanax, trespassing, and the motor violations of reckless driving, driving without a license, two counts of failure to stop at a stop sign, having fictitious plates, failure to signal, and failure to maintain lane.

Casey said officers responded near 4:07 Thursday to the PNC Bank, located at 810 Sunset Ave, due to a report that Slade was at the drive-up window attempting to make a withdrawal with fraudulent identification and stolen debit cards.

“While en route, the bank staff advised that they believed this female to be the same individual who attempted to commit fraud at numerous locations earlier in the day,” Casey said in a written statement. “Upon observing the police, the female drove off and fled the area.”

Responding Officer Lemar Whittaker attempted to follow, but lost Slade after she made several evasive maneuvers, he said.

But at approximately 4:22 p.m., the department received a report that a female subject was trespassing at 601 Heck Street, near the waterfront. Casey said the location was in the area where Slade was last seen. And while she fled the property via its parking lot prior to police arrival, she was seen removing a vehicle’s license plate and fleeing on foot.

Whittaker was able to identify her vehicle, leading to a saturated response by the local police department. They located Slade in the 500 block of Asbury Avenue and she was positively identified as the female operating the vehicle at the bank as well as the female from the Heck Street incident, Casey said.

Slade will be transferred to Monmouth County Jail, pending a first court appearance, Casey said. 

[Photo courtesy of ABC News report]

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