An officer on patrol was in the right place at the right time, thwarting an unknown suspect’s attempt to steal a U-Haul.
According to a report filed with the Picayune Police Department, the officer was patrolling the area of a local towing company just after 1 a.m. on May 8, when he saw a U-Haul truck pull out of the business at a high rate of speed without headlights.
The officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the vehicle continued down Martin Luther King Boulevard, before turning onto Whithauer Street, then Bruce Street and then crossed U.S. 11 into the Winn Dixie parking lot, the report states.
It then turned onto Telly Road, crossing Memorial Boulevard and headed down Telly Road to the dead end, which is where the driver, described as a black male with a thin build wearing a dark shirt, exited the vehicle and fled on foot into the nearby woods along Interstate 59, the report states.
The officer gave chase on foot, but lost the suspect in the woods. A Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department K-9 unit was requested to assist in the search, but the dog could not find the suspect either, the report states.
The business owner was alerted to the recovery of the stolen vehicle.
Assistant Chief of Police Jeremy Magri said anyone with information about a possible suspect in this case can call the police department at 601-798-7411 or they can provide the information anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 601-799-CLUE(2583).