82-year-old Margate Man Busted on Weapons and Explosives Charges

It ended with a Margate man being charged with a number of charges for having explosives, weapons,s and large amounts of ammunition.

It began with Longport Police responding to a local resident who reported that bullet holes were shot in his fence.

Longport Police say they were called out on May 16th to a 36th Avenue residence where the homeowner reported that bullet holes were shot in his fence. The resident said that while viewing security footage, he saw his elderly neighbor shooting his fence.

Police determined that Francis Beck, 82, had fired two rounds from a CO2-powered handgun nearby in the area of South Coolidge Avenue, just across the Longport/Margate border.

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Longport Police say they conferred with Margate Police, but Margate Police turned the investigation over to Longport Police.

It was then this past Thursday, May 26, that Longport Police arrested Beck, charging him with, "possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of weapons, and criminal mischief."

It didn't end there. A warrant was executed on Beck's home, where police found "a large cache of weapons" and a large amount of ammunition.

According to Longport Police:

While conducting a search of the home, officers came across what was believed to be a homemade explosive and immediately contacted the Atlantic City and Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office Bomb Squad units who confirmed multiple homemade explosive devices within the residence. These devices were seized by the bomb squad who rendered the immediate area safe. Beck was charged with possession of destructive devices following the execution of the search warrant.

Beck was ultimately released on a summons in accordance with New Jersey bail reform.