A boat was left in a wooded area off the Long Island Expressway in Manorville last week, and within a day, an arrest was made.

Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. announced the arrest of Timothy Hughes for allegedly ditching his boat in the Pine Barrens.

The Shirley man is facing violations in the town and the county; both are punishable by up to $10,000 in fines if he is convicted.

One major concern was that the 24-foot boat from 1980 could have had fuel leaking from it into the ground. The Pine Barrens protect Long Island’s sole aquifer.

The boat could be seen from the LIE, according to officials, but they say what ultimately led to an arrest were the surveillance cameras that are located throughout the protected land.

The Sheriff’s Office, Central Pine Barrens Commission and Town of Brookhaven all are working together to preserve and protect the land.

If you report illegal dumping and an arrest is made, you can get a percentage of the fines collected.