A routine trip to the store took a shocking turn for one unsuspecting shopper this past Friday afternoon when their vehicle vanished in broad daylight from the parking lot of the Corner Store on Ridgeway Road.
At approximately 3:00 PM on Friday, officers from the Manchester Township Police Department’s Patrol Division and Investigations Bureau rushed to the scene, launching an urgent search for the stolen car. The victim had stepped inside the store for only a brief moment—just long enough for a thief to seize the opportunity and drive off undetected.
Law enforcement flooded the surrounding area and swiftly implemented investigative measures to track down the missing vehicle. Their breakthrough came thanks to OnStar technology, which pinpointed the car’s location on Pine Street.
When officers arrived, they found the stolen vehicle parked and quickly identified a suspect inside—58-year-old Denise Dowling of Manchester. With careful coordination and precision, officers made contact with Dowling and placed her under arrest.
Dowling now faces charges of Theft of a Motor Vehicle. Under New Jersey’s Bail Reform guidelines, she was issued a summons and released pending a future court date. The stolen car was recovered intact and promptly returned to its rightful owner.