WJZ Exclusive: Suspects Try To Flee With Stolen Habitat For Humanity Generator

BALTIMORE (WJZ)—Now, a story you'll only see on WJZ. Thieves led Baltimore police on a pursuit. They were trying to steal from a group of volunteers but they were caught red-handed.

Adam May actually witnessed the getaway.

We were shooting video for another report when suddenly a speeding SUV and police came darting by. A WJZ photojournalist was just turning on his camera when an SUV sped by, driving erratically down a West Baltimore street and blowing through a stop sign near an elementary school. Twenty seconds later, we pointed pursuing police in their direction.

It all started at a Habitat for Humanity construction site.

"All the sudden, this guy came to the back end of the fence, grabbed the generator and tried to put it in his truck," said volunteer Bully Gushue.

Seconds later, three police officers who happened to be in the area approached the suspects. That's when they hit the gas and the generator came crashing out of the SUV's open tailgate.

When the thieves took off, other stuff flew from their truck: tools, jumper cables and stereo equipment---and the action didn't stop there.

WJZ caught one man taking some of the valuable discards. It's unknown if any of the property littering Gilmor Street is also stolen.

"We are gonna pray for them," said one man.

The site supervisor's been helping improve the Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood for the last four years.

"More homeowners, families should get along and we shouldn't have to worry about people snatching our generators while we are working on it," said Kevin Mills.

The volunteers from a religious school in Bethlehem, Pa., couldn't believe their eyes.

"There's some bad people in this town, but hopefully doing good things will turn it around," said one.

Police didn't catch the suspect but officers involved said they were happy they stopped them from getting the generator.

Witnesses did not get a tag number on the SUV.