Palmyra Police Arrest Leaf Blower Thief

A Burlington City man was caught by police after he allegedly dropped the spoils of his theft while pedaling away from the scene of the crime, according to a report.

A Palmyra police officer was approached by a man in the Wawa parking lot who told the officer someone had just stolen a power blower from the back of his pickup truck, then ridden off on his bicycle. The victim gave police a good description of the suspect, and he was quickly found hiding in the backyard of a home on the 600 block of Garfield Avenue.

Police said the thief—identified as Michael Bates, 31, of Burlington City—had dropped the blower in the middle of Garfield Avenue. He was taken into custody and the blower was returned to its owner.

Bates were charged with theft and eluding police. Police said he also had five outstanding criminal warrants for his arrest (three in Camden court, and one each in Hamilton Township court and Burlington City court). Bates was unable to post bail and was lodged in Burlington County Jail, pending court.