Car Thief Arrested After Leading Police on Wild, 2-State Chase

The chase began in Manchester, New Hampshire and ended in Lawrence, Massachusetts

A Massachusetts man was captured while hiding in an attic after stealing two vehicles and leading police on a wild chase through four communities on Friday morning.

Joseph Hart, 35, of Westborough, Massachusetts is now being held on fugitive from justice charges by Massachusetts State Police.

The chase began around 7:50 a.m. when police in Manchester, New Hampshire attempted to stop a 1996 Chevrolet pickup truck that had been reported stolen from their city.

Manchester police pursued the vehicle onto Interstate 93 south toward Londonderry, at which time New Hampshire State Police took over the pursuit. Spike strips were deployed near Exit 4 in Derry. After the vehicle hit the spikes, Hart, the driver, fled on foot into the woods.

A state police aircraft tracked Hart as he fled on foot. He then stole a 2015 Chevrolet Malibu that was left running in a driveway by the owner. He drove into Windham, where police officers there attempted to stop the vehicle.

Hart again refused to stop and a second pursuit began, continuing onto I-93 south into Lawrence, Massachusetts. He eventually pulled the stolen vehicle into a public works garage on Auburn Street and fled on foot into an adjacent multi-level building on Chestnut Street. He was found hiding in an attic crawl space by a police dog and taken into custody.

Hart was expected to be arraigned on Friday. Once that happens, he will be brought to New Hampshire to answer to multiple charges from Manchester, Derry, Windham and state police.

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