Shane K. Hopkins

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP – About 30 minutes after local police held a mid-afternoon press conference to say they were still searching for an escaped prisoner, they were happy to say they found their man.

Shane K. Hopkins was captured and arrested at about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday on Old Egg Harbor Road near the Sugar Hill Inn in the Mays Landing section of Hamilton Township, according to several Twitter and Facebook reports.

Police said Hopkins, 38, of Downingtown, Pa., escaped at 8:10 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 31 when he was being transported by a Hamilton Township police officer.

Hopkins was being transported to the Gerard L. Gormley Justice Facility when he escaped and ran off into the surrounding area near the Tavistock development along Route 40 in Hamilton Township, police said.

An off-duty New Jersey state trooper saw Hopkins run across Route 40 moments later. The trooper did not proceed to chase Hopkins because he had his family in the car.

Police immediately set up a perimeter and began their search for Hopkins.

On Tuesday, the police locked down Atlantic Cape Community College for several hours while they searched for Hopkins.

Personnel from several municipalities assisted the Hamilton Township Police Department in its search for Hopkins including the New Jersey State Police, the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, Atlantic County Sheriff’s Office, Egg Harbor Township police,  Galloway police, the state Forest Fire Service, Atlantic County Office of Emergency Management, Egg Harbor City police, Weymouth Volunteer Fire Department, Brigantine police, Cape May County Sheriff’s Office, Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, and U.S. Marshals Service.

The Atlantic County Emergency Response Team was also activated and responded.

At mid-day, Atlantic County Prosecutor Ted Housel directed the county Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Frank X. Balles, to take over the search for Hopkins.

Although Hopkins was described at 5-foot-3, 120 pounds, he was considered dangerous, police said.