SOUTHPORT, N.Y. (WETM) — An attempted burglary at a motorcycle shop in Southport led police to chase after a U-Haul truck across county lines early Wednesday, later finding the truck near Savona, police said.
According to Chemung County Sheriff William Schrom, sometime around 6 a.m. a U-Haul truck occupied by four individuals wearing hoods and masks pulled behind Glider City Cycle Shop in Southport.
The four could be seen exiting the vehicle on security footage and going behind the truck before quickly racing back inside the truck and leaving the area.
According to Schrom, before the four were able to make entrance into the buildings on the property they were startled by an Elmira City Shcool District Bus Garage employee who was in the area and watching the incident.
The employee yelled out to the individuals and sparked them to run back into the U-Hail and leave the property.
No items were stolen or damaged from Glider City, but an alarm was set off after Schrom said one of the suspects attempted to lift an overhead door of a building behind the shop.
Police picked up on the U-Haul and a chase commenced in Elmira, later being terminated in Campbell and transferred over to New York State Police.
NYSP terminated the chase when the U-Haul entered into opposite lanes on I-86 going west.
According to state police, the U-Haul was later found near Savona on a dirt road with three motorcycles in the back of the truck.
It was later learned that the motorcycles were stolen from a shop in Ithaca, while the U-Haul was stolen out of Rochester.
A police helicopter was brought in to search the area for the suspects, but state police say they are still on the run.