Men sneak into safari park’s animal enclosure for an illegal expedition, NJ cops say

Two men are accused of staging an unusual violation of New Jersey’s COVID-19 stay-at-home order: They allegedly climbed into an animal enclosure at a safari theme park and hung out, according to the Jackson Police Department.

Investigators say it happened around 6 p.m. on April 14 at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, N.J., which is closed during the pandemic. The park is about 60 miles southwest of New York City.

“Two male subjects ... were captured on SFGA security cameras, climbing over the fence and entering the safari property where they potentially could have risked coming into direct contact with the safari animals,” police said in a Facebook post. “The males were inside the safari for approximately a half hour before leaving.”

Police posted an update noting they have received tips on the identities of the two, but no arrests have been announced.

Investigators did not say what the men did in the park for a half hour. It’s also not clear which animals they were in danger of encountering. The park’s website says it has “1,200 animals from six continents including elephants, rhinos, tigers, giraffes and lions.”

The Jackson Police Department says it has had multiple reports of trespassers at the site in the past two weeks, including an April 16 incident involving a 49-year-old man who “claimed he went there to see the animals.” He was charged with “defiant trespassing,” police posted on Facebook.

“We recommend that residents observe the Governor’s Executive Orders and stay at home, but if you do go outside, please remember to socially distance yourself from others. If going out, please do not trespass onto Six Flags Adventure Property (or any others), as the park is closed at this time,” the department posted.

“There will be additional patrols in the area and officers will investigate and evaluate each instance independently, keeping in mind the Executive Orders and Constitutional Rights and complaints will be signed when warranted.”

Theme parks across the nation have been closed during the coronavirus pandemic, as state governments try to prevent crowds from gathering and spreading the highly contagious virus.

COVID-19 has infected about 2.5 million people and resulted in the deaths of about 172,000 worldwide, according to April 21 data from Johns Hopkins University.

This story was originally published April 21, 2020 at 9:54 AM.