Charges filed in mobile meth lab scare at Surfside Beach area shopping center

A pair of shoplifting incidents helped lead Horry County police to arrest four people in connection with chemicals used to make methamphetamines.

Police arrested two men and two women on Thursday in the parking lot of a Surfside Beach area shopping center, and the four were formally charged on Friday, according to jail records.

Arrested were Trevor Casey Giebell, 28, of Columbus, N.C.; Joseph Robert Brooks, 33, of Murrells Inlet; Lauren Ashley James, 25, of Cowpens; and Ashley Marie McGill, 25, of Traveler’s Rest.

According to a police report, the two women had stolen clothing from the Kohl’s store at U.S. 17 and S.C. 544 twice in the days before their arrest. In both instances the women got away before store employees could stop them, so when employees noticed them Thursday afternoon, police were called immediately, the report said.

Giebell, James and McGill were charged with shoplifting under $2,000. McGill and James were each charged with shoplifting in a previous incident as well, booking records showed.

Giebell and James both gave officers fake names when initially interviewed, according to the police report, and were charged with giving false information to authorities.

Brooks, McGill and James were additionally charged with a first-offense of manufacturing or distribution of methamphetamine. And Brooks was charged with receiving stolen goods under $2,000 and obtaining signature or property by false pretenses under $2,000, according to jail records.

All four remain incarcerated at J. Reuben Long Detention Center. Jail records show bond for Brooks was set at $11,000. Giebell’s bond was set at $11,755. McGill’s bond was set at $13,000 and James’ bond is $13,255.

According to the Horry County police report, the two women were inside the Kohl’s store on Sunday, Jan. 29 and Tuesday Jan. 31. In the first trip, the report said the two women took items from multiple departments into the fitting rooms in the women’s department. The police report said store employees found removed tags and hangers with missing clothing, but the women had left the store before anyone could stop them.

In the second trip, the report said the women had a third female with them, and again they made selections from several departments before going into the fitting rooms. This time, James and McGill went to a register but told the cashier they left their coupon in their car, then left the store. In their shopping cart, employees found three price tags and three security tags inside a pocket of a pair of jeans, the report said.

A representative for Kohl’s declined to comment about the incident and directed questions to the corporate office on Thursday.

Police were called to the store Thursday after the store employees noticed the women had returned and arrived around 12:40 p.m.

During their investigation police learned from Brooks that he had returned two items to Kohl’s and received $40.17 store credit, and store employees confirmed that the items were stolen on Jan. 31.

The investigation led police to a car parked outside the store Thursday, which officers searched and found a bag of needles with a white, crystal-like substance consistent with methamphetamines inside the glove compartment, the report said.

Kegler said the narcotic detectives found chemical ingredients used to make methamphetamines inside the vehicle. Though there was no evidence the suspects were cooking the ingredients at the time of the arrest, Kegler said they did find remnants of a previous cook as well as enough ingredients to start another batch.

The specific ingredients were not identified.

Officers evacuated the area in the shopping center at U.S. 17 Bypass South and S.C. 544 for several hours, but determined there was no immediate danger in the area or to nearby residents. Nobody was hurt or in need of decontamination during the event, Kegler said.

Around 3 p.m. Thursday the stores in the shopping center were open, but police had crime scene tape surrounding the suspect’s vehicle and three rows of parking spaces in front of Hibbet Sports. By 5 p.m. the suspect’s vehicle had been towed and the area was open to the public.

Horry County Fire Rescue hazmat officials also responded to the call for containment of possible hazardous chemicals, said Leslie Yancey, fire spokeswoman.