Escaped inmate apprehended

Marc Harris, an inmate who escaped from a Montgomery Township facility Tuesday morning was caught early Thursday in Vineland, roughly 80 miles south of Princeton.

“The Department of Corrections’ Fugitive Unit are the ones who apprehended him,” New Jersey Department of Corrections spokesman Matthew Schuman said. “The state police were involved, as were the Montgomery police department and Somerset County prosecutors.”

Princeton Borough Police Lt. David Dudeck noted that his department had been notified, but other than that, he had “no comment. The guy’s been caught.”

Deputy Director for Operations of Public Safety Charles Davall could not be reached for comment.

The minimum security facility from which the inmate escaped is within walking distance of two elementary schools, Orchard Hill Elementary School and Village Elementary School. As a result, all of the schools in the district were put on lockdown.

Likewise, Princeton-area schools were notified of the escape soon after it occurred. Princeton High School (PHS) principal Gary Snyder sent an e-mail to parents explaining that “Classes are continuing on a regular basis. All of the outside doors of PHS are locked and a building security monitor is at the front door.”

Harris was serving a three-year sentence for drug distribution on school property and would have been eligible for parole in May.

Authorities began a manhunt on Tuesday, and a string of reports of suspicious activity helped lead to Harris’ apprehension.

The night after Harris’ escape, someone reported an individual lying down in a vehicle at an auto body shop in Skillman around 8:15 p.m. The individual fled, but police noted signs that he had attempted to steal the vehicle, according to the Star-Ledger.

Roughly 10 minutes after the first report, police were warned of someone running in “work boots, long johns and a thermal shirt,” Montgomery Police Lt. James Curry told the Star-Ledger.

Harris had left his orange prison uniform at the Montgomery facility from which he escaped.

Curry also said Harris allegedly forced his way into a house near the intersection of Route 518 and Route 206 and stole clothing. The house is about five miles from Princeton.

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The Department of Corrections’ fugitive unit found Harris with his girlfriend at a Days Inn. From there, he was taken to Camden’s Riverfront State Prison.