Barnegat officials will hold another press conference Thursday at 11 a.m. Watch video
BARNEGAT --Dozens of officers are searching the township overnight for Arthur W. Buckel, an escaped prisoner who's been on the lam since Tuesday morning.
"He is going to be found. He is going to be apprehended," Barnegat Mayor Jon Novak said during a press conference Wednesday evening. "My suggestion to you [Buckel] is to surrender to law enforcement immediately. Make it easy for everyone, including yourself. You are going to be apprehended either way."
Township schools will open Thursday with officers on hand at each building in the event the search hasn't ended by morning. Several schools in the area were locked down Wednesday.
So far, authorities have chased down close to 50 tips as the manhunt for the 38-year-old drags through the night, Sgt. Jeffrey Ryan said during an 8 p.m. press conference.
"We are investigating each and every [call from residents]," Ryan said. "He could be held up in a vacant home, boat or in a camper."
Barnegat officials will hold another press conference Thursday at 11 a.m.
Although, Ryan would not comment on the specific search perimeter, officials believe Buckel is still somewhere the area after making it more than 60 miles north following his escape. It is unknown if the escapee is armed but authorities consider him dangerous.
Police have urged residents to lock their doors and cars while Buckel is on the loose. Ryan also asked residents to report any suspicious activity.
At a midnight press conference, where officials had little update on the search, Ryan said "there is a possibility that he is no longer in town," but authorities would continue the manhunt until it is confirmed he is no longer in the area.
Dozens of officers from a number of local, county and state agencies rotated on patrol overnight along with 11 canine units, according to Ryan. Wednesday's wet weather has made it difficult for police dogs to pick up Buckel's scent, Ryan said.
A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter was used to search the shore town from overhead just before 7 p.m., however, all aircrafts were grounded due to weather shortly before 9.
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Escaped convict Arthur W. Buckel at the CVS in Barnegat Wednesday morning. Buckel is the subject of an intense manhunt in the township. (Photo courtesy of the Barnegat Police Department) Novak said this has been one of the town's largest collaborations of local, county and state police in more than 16 years.
Buckel was spotted Wednesday morning in Barnegat driving a stolen 2015 Chevrolet Silverado at a CVS on West Bay Avenue. The truck was registered to an address in Hammonton, where the manhunt began early Tuesday.
Buckel escaped from a section of Bayside State Prison located on the grounds of Ancora Psychiatric Hospital in Atlantic County. He was discovered missing during a 6 a.m. bed-check.
Police previously believed Buckel was trying to make his way to a distant relative in Berkeley Township, roughly 11 miles from Barnegat, however Ryan said that lead was a dead end.
Buckel is a convict with a lengthy rap sheet. His most recent conviction was in January when he was a Clifton resident. He was sentenced to three years for aggravated assault and burglary among other offenses.
He would have been eligible for parole in less than three weeks had he not escaped. He now faces an additional three to five years in prison.
NJ Advance reporter Alex Napoliello contributed to this report.
Craig McCarthy may be reached at CMcCarthy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @createcraig. Find NJ.com on Facebook.