Derry Township man arrested in theft of car left running outside convenience store
Nov. 1—State police accused a Derry Township man of stealing a car while its owner was inside a convenience store last week, according to court papers.
Troopers said they found the Chevrolet Cruze about 27 miles away and identified Aaron Michael Thompson, 27, as the suspect. He is charged with theft and receiving stolen property.
Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers said the car was taken from Pitstop Pizza & Cafe in Derry Township at 12:20 p.m. Wednesday after a woman left it running while inside the store. Surveillance photos released by investigators showed a man wearing black pants and T-shirt and a hooded vest with white sneakers get into the car, pick up a woman in the parking lot and flee south on Route 982.
Troopers found the car about 12 hours later in South Huntingdon near the intersection of Interstate 70 and Route 31, according to a criminal complaint.
Authorities tabbed Thompson as the suspect as a result of previous interactions with local police and a neighborhood canvas. When he was interviewed Thursday, Thompson admitted to the theft. Police said they seized the hooded vest and other clothing items he was seen wearing in surveillance footage.
Thompson did not have an attorney listed in online court records. A Nov. 10 preliminary hearing is set. He was being held at the Westmoreland County Prison on $20,000 bail.
Thompson was sentenced in November 2020 to six months in jail and four years on probation in connection with escape and drug conspiracy charges in Lackawanna County, according to online court records.
Renatta Signorini is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Renatta at 724-837-5374, rsignorini@triblive.com or via Twitter .
