CRIME

Shoplifting suspect steals Springetts cop car

The Baltimore man was found hiding in a dumpster behind a nearby restaurant.

Ted Czech
tczech@ydr.com

A shoplifting suspect who took a Springettsbury Township Police car -- and then hid in a dumpster outside a restaurant -- was taken into custody a short while later, according to police.

Police charged Marlo Harvard Jr., 21, of Baltimore, with theft by unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, theft by unlawful taking of a firearm, retail theft, resisting arrest, fleeing and eluding police and traffic offenses.

Officers were called to the Wal-Mart on East Market Street about 1 p.m. Monday for a report of a man taking items from the store without paying, according to Springettsbury Township Police Lt. Tony Beam.

"He had exited the building with electronics," Beam said.

Police found Harvard in the store's parking lot, near a bus stop, and tried to stop him. He ran west on Industrial Highway, with officers running after him, Beam said.

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Officers in police cars also joined in the chase, including at least one who parked his car on Industrial Highway, leaving it with its emergency lights on, Beam said.

"He (the officer) got out to chase the guy, and the car was still running," Beam said. Somehow, Harvard was able to evade police and hop inside the car.

At one point during the chase, East York Elementary School was on lockdown as a precaution.

Harvard then drove west on Industrial Highway and south on Memory Lane, where he abandoned the police vehicle in front of a bank. An in-car camera showed the police vehicle was going 71 mph in a 40 mph zone, the affidavit of probable cause states.

Harvard then continued to run, eventually ending up at Mexitaly Brick Oven Brewhouse on East Market Street.

Mexitaly manager Pedro Febres said one of his employees told him a man "ran into the restaurant and went straight to the bathrooms."

Armed with a metal spoon, Febres checked out the back hallway, including the bathrooms.

"The only other place he could have gone, since no one had seen him come out the front, was through this back door here," he said, looking at the door. "When the police came in, they had their guns drawn, and they were searching for him ... I led them out the back to this door here, and I turned around the corner, all of a sudden I heard commotion."

He heard police yelling, "'Hands up, hands in the air, hands in the air right now!' He had been hiding in this dumpster here," Febres said.

The officers pulled Harvard out, got him on the ground and handcuffed him, Febres said. Harvard appeared puzzled as to why police were arresting him, saying, "'I didn't do anything wrong ... yeah, I hang out in dumpsters all the time.'"

When they asked why he ran, he answered "'You guys were chasing me,'" Febres said, to which the police replied, "'You stole a cop car.'"

Beam said no officers were injured in the pursuit, and at least initially, the car appeared not to have sustained any damage. Although the weapons in the police car were locked, it was imperative that police stop Harvard as soon as possible.

"He had our vehicle, and the vehicle has guns in it," Beam said.

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Asked how often people hide in dumpsters to avoid arrest, Beam said it happens -- "More than we have people taking police cars ... They'll hide in dumpsters a lot when you chase them."

Beam said officers from Spring Garden Township, York Area Regional Police and Pennsylvania State Police helped in the chase.

Contact Ted Czech at 717-771-2033.