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Margate man had guns, homemade explosives, Longport police say


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A Margate man was found with a cache of weapons and multiple homemade explosives after he allegedly shot a neighbor's fence.

Longport police got a call from a resident May 16, saying they found bullet holes in their fence on 36th Avenue, according to the report.

The caller said that home surveillance footage showed their elderly neighbor, who lives a street over in Margate, had fired the shots.

An investigation found that Francis Beck, 82, had fired two rounds from a CO2-powered handgun, also known as an air pistol.

Margate police turned the investigation over to Longport.

Beck was arrested and his South Coolidge Avenue home was searched, police said Saturday.

Inside, police found a large cache of firearms and large quantity of ammunition, according to the report. They also found what was believed to be a homemade explosive.

The Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office Bomb Squad was called, and confirmed multiple homemade explosive devices in the residence, police said.

The devices were seized by the Bomb Squad, who rendered the immediate area safe.

Beck was charged with multiple weapons offenses along with possession of destructive devices.

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Under bail reform, his charges were placed on a summons, and he was released with a future court date.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Sgt. Nicholas Rettino at rettino_nicholas@longportpd.org.

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