A Manchester man, arrested on outstanding warrants after an alleged theft from a Silverton home, went into cardiac arrest at Toms River Police Headquarters and was revived by officers there, police said.

Toms River Police Chief Michael Mastronardy said the man, a 21 year old from Manchester, is being investigated for allegedly stealing a $1,000 ring from a Kettle Creek home. The man and the home's occupants all knew each other, Mastronardy said.

"They were acquaintances," he said. "We believe he took the ring from the home, and then the victim and his friends confronted him."

The man, whose name was not released, fled the home and was later located on Fischer Boulevard about an hour later, around 1:30 p.m., said Mastronardy.

The police chief said the man had outstanding warrants out of Jackson, Plumsted, Ewing and Englishtown and was arrested. But while in police headquarters on Oak Avenue, the man went into cardiac arrest. Mastronardy said it was believed the man had taken narcotics about an hour before.

The police chief said the man was arrested on Fischer Boulevard and was in the midst of being processed by the booking officer, when he collapsed and stopped breathing.

"He was then transported to police headquarters for processing and a short time later while in the police holding facility he collapsed and went into cardiac arrest," Mastronardy said.

Assisting the man was Officers John O’melia, Tom Herbst and Brian Jarka, Township Safety Officer Paul Daley and Corporeal Thomas Leach. The officers immediately began CPR and used a defibrillator to resuscitate the victim. 

Paramedics responded and the victim was revived and transported by Toms River Police EMS to Community Medical Center, where he was turned over to New Jersey State Police for the outstanding warrants, Mastronardy said. 

The $1,000 ring was recovered and handed back to the victim, said the police chief.