Man steals car left running outside Chambersburg Sheetz, police say

CHAMBERSBURG – A woman left her car running when she ran into a convenience store Friday morning, and her car was gone when she came out.

Pennsylvania State Police, Chambersburg, stopped the stolen car about 20 minutes later, according to court documents. Emmanuel Morales-Baez, 31, of Harrisburg was charged with vehicle theft, unauthorized use of an automobile and driving while his license was suspended, related to driving under the influence.

Morales was unable to post $25,000 bail and remained in Franklin County Jail as of Saturday morning, court records show. 

Chambersburg Police Department responded to a report of a stolen vehicle at 9:40 a.m. Friday, according to court records. A woman told police her 1998 Honda Accord was stolen while she was inside the Sheetz on Monticello Court for about two minutes. The store’s surveillance video showed a man leave the seating area of the store and get into the car. The car was unlocked and its engine running. The man drove the car west on U.S. 30.

More:Motorcyclist leads cops on high-speed chase from Greencastle to McConnellsburg, police say

More:Drunk driver beat on woman's vehicle window after crash in Chambersburg, police say

Pennsylvania State Police, Chambersburg, about 20 minutes later notified Franklin County dispatchers that they were behind the car, according to court documents. The car was going east on Loudon Street (U.S. 30). State police stopped the car and identified the driver as Morales. His description matched that of the man at Sheetz.

Morales told Chambersburg police that he was just trying to get home to Harrisburg, according to court documents.

Morales’ preliminary hearing is set for 8:15 a.m. on Jan. 8 in Franklin County Central Court at the courthouse in Chambersburg.