U.S. Amateur trophy among artifacts stolen in burglary at USGA Museum

BERNARDS TOWNSHIP, N.J. -- The U.S. Amateur trophy is among the artifacts missing after a burglar broke into the U.S. Golf Association Museum in northern New Jersey.

Somerset County prosecutor Geoffrey Soriano says police responded to the building in Bernards Township after a burglar alarm was activated there around 2:40 a.m. Wednesday.

Officers found several trophy cases had been extensively damaged with an ax and noticed some trophies and other items were missing.

Museum officials say among the items taken were the U.S. Amateur trophy that was created in 1926, and a replica of the late Ben Hogan's Hickok Belt, which he won for being the nation's top professional athlete in 1953.

Soriano says security video shows the burglary apparently was carried out by one person.