MONROE, N.C. -- Two people are under arrest after Monroe police discovered a Meth lab in a unit at a quiet condominium complex off U.S. Highway 74 and Round Table Road.
Police found the lab around 9 p.m. Tuesday at the Camelot Homes condominium complex.
A probation officer called police after he went to the home and saw what he thought was the makings of an active meth lab.
Once police confirmed that there was an active meth lab inside unit F they evacuated the four units closest to that unit.
"It’s pretty serious, you know, whenever you start evacuating people from their homes because of all the possibilities of what could happen. That’s pretty serious," Lt. T.J. Goforth of the Monroe police said.
"We saw fire trucks and all these police," said Charlie Williamson, who lives across from the house.
The SBI haz-mat team and Monroe police were at the condo most of Wednesday afternoon removing content from the lab and cleaning the scene. The SBI was still in the process of removing the chemicals into Wednesday evening.
Neighbors were told to leave their homes until the cleaning process is complete. They won't be able to return home until later Wednesday evening.
"We just had no idea something like that was going on in our neighborhood," said Camelot Condominiums HOA president Joyce Wilson. "He (James Robinette) stayed to himself."
James Edward Robinette Jr., 49, and Eva Marie Rankin Robinette,35 were both charged with manufacturing meth, possessing an immediate precursor chemical with intent to manufacture and possession of drug paraphernalia.
According to Monroe police, Robinette Jr. was on probation after a 2010 conviction on an indecent liberties with a child charge.
Bond has not been set.
