A man is locked up in Schuylkill County Prison after stealing a vehicle near Frackville on Saturday.
According to West Mahanoy Township Police, on Saturday, December 26th, 2020 around 12:30pm, police received a report that an unidentified man wearing a red jacket stole a Nissan Rogue that was parked at the Speedway Gas Station in West Mahanoy Township near Frackville.
As the report was relayed to police, a "be on the lookout" was broadcast by Schuylkill County 911 to all Schuylkill County Police officers.
As the information was being broadcast, a State Trooper from the Frackville barracks was traveling north on Route 61 and spotted the suspect vehicle heading south in the area of Route 61 and West Russell Street in Saint Clair.
The State Trooper turned around and followed the vehicle, verifying it was the vehicle they were looking for, then attempted a traffic stop.
A short pursuit ensued south on Route 61, through a parking lot, and eventually coming to an end at the intersection of Nichols Street and Centre Street in Pottsville after stopped traffic prevented it from going any further.
State Police and Pottsville Police converged on the vehicle and took the suspect into custody without further incident.
The driver, now identified as Charles R. Conti, 47, from the William Penn section of West Mahanoy Township near Shenandoah, was found to be in possession of marijuana.
Conti was taken into custody and charged with theft, fleeing or eluding police, and receiving stolen property.
Conti was arraigned by on call Magisterial District Judge David A. Plachko and locked up in Schuylkill County Prison unable to post $75,000 straight cash bail.
Assisting West Mahanoy Township Police during the incident were officers from Frackville Police, Pottsville Police, and Troopers from the State Police at Frackville.