Just before noon on Thursday police from the City of Belleville and Sumpter Township joined together to apprehend a man who was seen stripping tires off cars in the Belleville High School parking lot.
Belleville Police Chief Gene Taylor said four high school students observed an 18-year-old male removing tires from cars and they alerted police.
Chief Taylor said the man was delayed in his efforts when his jack sank into the mud.
Police chased Charles Craig, Jr., of Belleville as he tried to escape into Sumpter Township.
Chief Taylor said Craig drove at high rates of speed down Sumpter Road to Bemis to Martinsville to Wear and then to northbound Sumpter Road.
Sumpter Lt. Eric Luke and Sgt. Chris McGlynn apprehended the suspect near Graham Park.
Chief Taylor said once the car was stopped, Sumpter police found a female and a baby in the car with the driver. The man also may be charged with child endangerment by Sumpter because those officers saw him drive through a stop sign with the child on board, Chief Taylor said.
Craig was charged with larceny from a motor vehicle, a five-year felony, and arraigned.