Intense Hunt For Escaped Prisoner In Barnegat Township, N.J.

BARNEGAT, N.J. (CBSNewYork/CBS Philly) -- An escaped prisoner may be in the Tri-State Area or trying to get there, authorities said Wednesday night.

Arthur Buckel, 38, broke out of a prison near Camden, New Jersey on Tuesday. Surveillance video showed him at a CVS drugstore in Barnegat Township on Wednesday morning.

Investigators found a truck there that they believe Buckel stole, after escaping from a Winslow Township prison on Tuesday.

For much of the day Wednesday, helicopters flew over the surrounding area as police looked for Buckel.

Police urged people in the area to lock their doors and cars and to continue to report suspicious activity .

Heavy rain throughout the day hampered the search for Buckel, CBS Philly reported. Despite the efforts of 10 departments, including a Coast Guard helicopter, Buckel managed to elude police in the daylight.

"We have had probably 40-to-50 suspicious person calls," said Barnegat Township police Sgt. Jeffrey Ryan. "You have to understand, with an incident of this nature , we're going to have a lot of residents calling in with every suspicious person they see on the road. We are investigating each and every one of those calls."

Officials placed schools on lockdown Wednesday, as residents described the unprecedented search.

"Just madness, lots of police activity in the neighborhood, multiple different towns, jurisdictions, swarming with cops," said Tommy Thompson.

"Certainly nerve-wracking, particularly in this environment these days," said Mark Bryson. "Glad I'm home and it'll be nice to get my son and my daughter, getting out a little earlier."

New shifts of officers took over the overnight search. Barnegat Mayor John J. Novak directed a strong message at Buckel.

"You are going to be apprehended," he said. "My suggestion to you is to surrender to law enforcement, surrender immediately. Make it easier for everybody, including yourself."

Buckel was serving time for aggravated assault.