New Jersey police rescue oversized Turtle Stuck in Storm Drain

Charlie Dwyer

Gloucester Township, NJ – Crikey! That thing is big. Police and firefighters rescued a large turtle after getting stuck in a Gloucester Township storm drain. Police do not know why the turtle was trying to get into the drain.

Some believe he was seeking out Master Splinter.

The incident happened on Cross Keys Road when Gloucester Township Police Officer, Ptl. Jim Bartleson, and members of the Lambs Terrace Fire Company responded to a unique call involving a sizable snapping turtle trapped in a storm drain.

The incident began when police received reports of a ginormous snapping turtle stuck in the storm drain. With the safety of the reptile in mind, Ptl. Bartleson and the firefighters acted in a ‘snap’ to ‘shell out’ their expertise.


Ptl. Bartleson and the Lambs Terrace Fire Company devised a plan to safely dislodge the turtle from the storm drain. Through their coordinated efforts, they successfully freed the snapper’s head and carefully released it into a nearby pond, its natural habitat.

The operation concluded with a sense of relief and satisfaction as everyone involved emerged unscathed, preserving all of their digits intact.

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