By Sean Ruppert, Staff Writer
A North Carolina man wanted for murder in his home state was arrested in Cranbury on Tuesday at the Molly Pitcher rest stop on the New Jersey Turnpike.
Anthony Joseph Bimbo, 40, of Wake Forrest, was arrested by state troopers at approximately 3 a.m. after being spotted sleeping in a stolen 2007 Toyota Sienna. The Toyota had Missouri license plates, which police say Mr. Bimbo had stolen from another vehicle and placed on the van.
Mr. Bimbo was wanted for allegedly murdering a theater manager in Raleigh, N.C., police said.
Mr. Bimbo was discovered at the rest stop by Troopers Robert Schaffter and Anthony Casciano who were patrolling the area, according to New Jersey State Police Lt. Gerald Lewis. North Carolina authorities had put out an alert on a vehicle matching the description of the Toyota van, so the officers ran the plates. They discovered that the plates did not match the vehicle, and investigated further.
The officers discovered that there was a man sleeping inside the van who matched the description of Mr. Bimbo, and called in back up officers. They executed a high risk motor vehicle stop, and Mr. Bimbo was arrested without incident, according to Lt. Lewis.
A search of the van revealed a .38-caliber handgun in the driver’s side door pocket.
Mr. Bimbo was charged with being a fugitive, unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes. He was taken to the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center, where he awaits extradition to North Carolina.

