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Detective Leon Burton said inside the vehicle police and Franklin County Narcotics Enforcement Unit (FCNEU) officers found meth lab components and other paraphernalia, including digital scales, pills containing pseudeophedrine, mason jars with residue, muratic acid, lye, cans of starting fluid, a granular substance in plastic soda bottles, latex gloves, tubing, coffee filters, aluminum foil, a box of unused syringes, drain cleaner, cold packs, lithium batteries and Coleman fuel.
Burton added that the vehicle belonged to an 18-year-old Pacific woman. She was caught on video making a phone call from her cell phone after the man was arrested. The woman had left the scene before police searched the vehicle.
Authorities suspect that the woman drove the vehicle to Wal-Mart. It is registered in her name, but the plates on the Blazer are registered to a different vehicle, Burton said.
The woman has been contacted but has not met with officers, authorities said.
He added that the bottles containing the granular substance were left over from a recent batch of meth.
The muratic acid was leaking from its container, Burton said, and a rear window of the vehicle was broken.
The tubing that the suspect attempted to steal is used for icemakers, police said.
"We suspect that he was going to sell it to a cook," Burton said. He noted the man had about $100 on him when he was arrested.
Assistant Police Chief Kyle Kitcher said the theft of plastic tubing, for an icemaker or, more commonly an aquarium, leads police to suspect it will be used in the production of methamphetamine.
"Stealing tubing is a big tip-off. Off the bat we suspect it is for meth (production)," said Kitcher. "How many people with an aquarium would steal the tubing?"
Police are seeking charges against the man.
