PADUCAH, Ky. (LEX 18) — Paducah police arrested a man in the burglary of an Illinois Verizon store and recovered hundreds of thousands of dollars in merchandise.
Police were notified early Friday morning tha a U-Haul truck suspected of being tied to the theft in Marion, Illinois, had been spotted in Paducah.
Police found the vehicle on Interstate Highway 24 and attempted to pull it over.
Instead, officers say, the driver ran off the road, jumped out and fled on foot.
One officer chased the man for nearly a mile before capturing him.
Inside the U-Haul, police say they found 267 iPhones, 26 iPad and other items.
The total value of the stole merchandise was estimated at $312,000.
Police arrested 28-year-old Johan Valdes of Miami, Florida, in the thefts.
Valdes was charged with receiving stolen property and fleeing police.
