Charges have been filed against a Gowanda, N.Y., man after he allegedly stole a vehicle from Bradford’s Choice store parking lot and led police on a high-speed chase.
Gerald K. Redford II, 45, is facing charges in McKean County of theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property, third-degree felonies, court records indicate.
Bradford City Police reported that at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, they received a report that a vehicle was stolen from the store’s parking lot on West Washington Street.
Scanner reports from Tuesday indicated the vehicle was a Chevrolet Equinox sport utility vehicle.
Bradford officers notified other agencies, and within minutes New York State Police were pursuing the vehicle on Interstate 86 West. However, that pursuit was canceled at high speeds, Bradford police stated.
Law enforcement began to pursue the SUV again a short time later near Ellicottville, N.Y., and the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Department stopped the SUV with help from OnStar. Redford was taken into custody at that time, Bradford police reported.
“This was a collaborative effort that brought the situation to a safe ending,” police noted, saying that New York law enforcement, McKean County 911 dispatchers, Pennsylvania State Police and the McKean County District Attorney’s Office all assisted.
Redford was not arraigned on the McKean County charges as of press time Wednesday. It is unclear if he will face additional charges in New York State related to the alleged high-speed chases.
