Doh! Stolen boats found in neighbor’s yard

Sometimes, police work weeks, or months, to crack a case.

Then, sometimes, they just look down.

Such was the case about 4 p.m. Friday in Egg Harbor Township, Atlantic County.

Police say they were called about 4 p.m. Friday to the home of a resident of Dorset Avenue in the township's Scullville section. The resident complained that two small boats had been stolen from his rear yard.

Then police got to work. They noticed fresh tracks from an ATV. They also saw tire tracks from a boat trailer.

They followed the tracks out of the yard. The tracks ran through woods and directly onto another property on Dorset Avenue.

There, they found the stolen boats and promptly arrested Jacob Mason, 18.

Mason was charged with burglary, theft and criminal mischief. He was released pending a court appearance.

The boats were returned to their owner.

Officer Michael Keeping was assisted in the case by Officer Brian Keane and Detective Scott Hiltner.