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Jersey Shore Town On High Alert As Search Continues For Convict

By Tim Jimenez

BARNEGAT, NJ (CBS) -- A New Jersey shore town is the focus of a manhunt for a convict who escaped a Camden County prison earlier this week.

Police in Barnegat Township, Ocean County try to answer the question: Where is Arthur Buckel?

The 39-year-old was seen on a CVS surveillance camera, going into the pharmacy in town yesterday morning. Police also found the stolen car they believe he was driving.

Buckel has been on the loose since Tuesday when authorities say he was able to break out of the prison unit at Ancora Psychiatric Hospital in Winslow Township.

Sargent Jeffrey Ryan says there's a chance Buckel got out of town, but they're not taking their foot off the pedal.

"It's possible but we're still going to consider that he is somewhere in the area and we're going to keep searching for him until he's either found or we can confirm that he is not in town."

He says residents are taking this seriously as well.

"We have had probably 40 or 50 suspicious person calls."

In November, Buckel was sentenced to three years for aggravated assault and actually eligible for parole later this month.

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