| Wednesday, November 21, 2007 10:35 AM CST |
Police chase nets suspect, van, plasma TVs
PONTIAC -- An overnight police chase led to the recovery of more than $10,000 in stolen merchandise, a stolen van with stolen license plates and the arrest of a Markham man, police said.
Four plasma televisions were found in the van after it was found abandoned in a field. Police arrested Manual Gaines, 36, after they used police dogs and a thermal imaging device to find him in a clover field.
He is being held at the Livingston County Jail. A court appearance is pending on a preliminary charge of burglary.
The incident started when police heard breaking glass as they patrolled Vermillion Plaza around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday. They found broken glass at Rent-A-Center, 5 Vermillion Plaza, and ordered Gaines to put up his hands when they found him in a van in the parking lot.
Gaines drove onto Ill. Route 116, crossing the median several times before entering the northbound ramp to Interstate 55. A patrol car slammed into the back of the van when Gaines hit the brakes, but then he drove over the median into the southbound lanes of the interstate.
He drove off the road and crashed through a field fence near the intersection of Livingston County roads 13190 East and 1600 North, police said.
Police said the van had been stolen from Bloomington. Its temporary license plates had been stolen from Harvey.
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