Galloway Township mayor helps nab burglary suspect

GALLOWAY TWP., N.J. - The mayor of Galloway Township is the talk of the town after he helped nab a burglary suspect who police say was breaking into his restaurant in the middle of the night.

You’d expect to see a distinguished portrait of Mayor Anthony Coppola on the wall of Fred and Ethel’s Tavern since he owns the place. Instead, employees came up with this picture of him looking like batman after his superhero-like efforts to help catch a man he says broke into the place.

One customer said it best.

"It's more like superman in that case," said Comac Morrissey.

FOX 29's Shawnette Wilson spoke to the mayor on FaceTime Thursday because he was away from the restaurant.

"It’s almost a surreal experience now. This whole thing's been kind of a crazy time today," he said.

Surveillance video shows the suspect entering Fred and Ethel’s around 4 a.m. Wednesday after Coppola says he had stolen master keys.

"We know that our maintenance guy had the keys when he opened the restaurant and within 20 minutes later they were gone," said Coppola.

The video shows the alleged burglar going through the place. Employees say he took some cash he found and helped himself to a lost and found scarf. He's wearing it when he shows up on another camera.

The story gets even wilder when Dining Hall Manager Brian O’Donnell says the guy returned late the next night. This time it was at the Smithville Inn just around the corner which the mayor also owns.

"He was standing in the doorway. I think he was trying to use the keys and when I recognized who he was I called tony. (Unbelievable, huh?) For a sleepy town like Smithville yeah," said O’Donnell.  Coppola rushed over with 911 on the phone. He says the suspect jumped a fence and took off down Route 9.

"I tried to leap the fence. I wasn't so graceful and I fell flat on my face. My cellphone went flying. It must be a hilarious 911 call," said Coppola. The chase ended a half-mile away with police catching the guy in a wooded area.

Police posted about it on the department's Facebook page where they thanked the mayor for his swifts actions.

"I heard him yelling the commands show me your hands and get down on the ground which told me that we had him in custody and a huge sense of relief rushed over my body," said Coppola.