Crime & Safety

Cops: Man Who Stole Rental Truck Crashed It Into Police Car Moments Before Arrest

Police have arrested a man they say stole a Ryder rental truck from a Black Horse Pike Wawa early Tuesday.

A Clementon Borough man has been charged with stealing a rental truck from a Wawa store in the Blenheim section of the township Tuesday morning and nearly striking police officers with it after they pulled him over on his home street this morning.

Gloucester Township Police detectives developed information around 10:30 a.m. today that led to the identification of 22-year-old Christopher Craig as Tuesday morning's Ryder rental-truck thief, according to Deputy Chief David Harkins.

Joined by Clementon Police officers, the detectives began conducting surveillance on the truck—a Freightliner Sprinter that a Ryder dealer had rented to the Courier-Post—after spotting it parked in the driveway at Craig's West Atlantic Avenue home.

Find out what's happening in Gloucester Townshipwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Police allege Craig got into the truck at around 11:30 a.m., backed it out of the driveway and attempted to drive away in it.

When police stopped the car a bit up the street, Craig attempted to run over a railroad embankment, Harkins said, nearly striking the police officers and crashing into an unmarked Gloucester Township Police vehicle occupied by two detectives in the process.

Find out what's happening in Gloucester Townshipwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The truck nearly rolled over onto its side, according to police. No one was injured making the arrest.

Police recovered the proceeds of several thefts inside the truck, Harkins said, noting the investigation into those crimes is ongoing.

Craig was charged with two counts of aggravated assault on police officers and single counts of eluding police in a motor vehicle, resisting arrest, motor vehicle theft, and possession of stolen property. He was lodged in Camden County Jail on bail.

Police this morning released surveillance video and images to area media from the Wawa store at 800 S. Black Horse Pike allegedly showing Craig stealing the rental truck Tuesday morning.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.