A 19-year-old Manchester University student was apprehended by police after allegedly entering unlocked vehicles and stealing items in North Manchester.
19-year-old Jacob Hahn is being charged with the thefts from the vehicles and resisting arrest, according to a news release from the North Manchester Police Department.
On Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, the North Manchester Police Department received more than 13 reports of unlocked vehicles that had been gone through and had items taken.
At 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, police received a call from somebody on East Orchard Street who said they observed a suspicious person wearing a black hoodie and gray sweatpants with a backpack, according to the news release.
Officers Parker Stouffer and Devin Bechtold checked the area but were unable to find anyone matching the description.
Hours later, at 4:04 a.m. Wednesday, another person called in from the North Elm Street area and said they saw a person fitting the same description take her purse out of her car and run north with it.
Twenty-one minutes later, Bechtold saw the suspect walking east across Walnut Street north of 9th Street. As Bechtold exited his vehicle, the man ran and Bechtold began chasing him for several blocks, but lost track of him near Mill Street and College Avenue. Wabash County Sheriff’s Department deputy Matt Cox arrived and assisted with his department’s K9, but the suspect wasn’t located.
Manchester University officials were aware of the foot pursuit and provided video from campus security cameras that matched the description of the man Bechtold had chased.
Manchester University Campus Security was able to identify the suspect as Hahn and gave the NMPD the student’s name. A resident’s home video security system also captured the suspect entering vehicles.
Police and campus security found Hahn in a residence hall. He was taken to the NMPD and questioned in regards to the thefts by Det. Sgt. Randy Miller.
Charges against Hahn are being sent to the Wabash County Prosecutor’s Office for review. If probable cause is found, a warrant will be issued for his arrest, according to the news release.
In the news release, North Manchester Police Department thanked the residents who reported the suspicious activity and other departments that assisted.
The release reminds people to lock their vehicles and don’t leave valuables inside.
