Trenton Man Arrested After Stealing Aquarium Filters, Leading To Foot Chase

June 7, 2024

Falls Township police apprehended a Trenton man last month after he allegedly stole items from a store and then fled on foot, authorities said.

The incident began at 5:37 p.m. when police were dispatched to Pets Plus on Lincoln Highway for a reported retail theft in progress, according to court papers.

When they arrived to the scene, officers met with the store manager and a person who was with the suspect but not involved in the theft, police said.

According to the store manager, the suspect, who was identified as a 40-year-old Trenton man, was observed removing an aquarium filter from its package and placing it in his pants before fleeing the store with a second filter, police said.

Outside the store, the manager confronted the 40-year-old man, who then fled on foot, police said.

The suspect discarded a green hooded sweatshirt and a green backpack in his friend’s car, police said.

Additional Falls Township officers arrived to search for 40-year-old man.

Despite multiple officers spotting him and issuing commands to stop, the 40-year-old man continued to flee and hide, police said.

The 40-year-old man was eventually apprehended in a wooded marsh area enclosed by a chain-link fence.

The friend remained at the scene, identified himself, and confirmed that the items belonged to the 40-year-old man, police said.

During a search of the backpack, officers discovered a clear plastic bag containing a white powdery rock substance and another clear bag containing a white rock. The substances were suspected to be crack cocaine, police said.

The 40-year-old man was charged with retail theft, receiving stolen property, possession of a controlled substance, use/possession of drug paraphernalia, false ID to law enforcement, and evading arrest of detention on foot. He was preliminarily arraigned by on-call District Judge Maggie Snow and held on 10 percent of $25,000 bail before posting bail.