Once again, a quick-thinking citizen has helped police apprehend a theft suspect.

A Gap man was arrested early today for allegedly stealing a motorcycle in the Maytown area, and police say the actions of Walter Wallander led to the arrest.

Wallander, 29, who lives in the 300 block of Wild Cherry Lane in Maytown's Longwood Square development, was smoking a cigarette outside his home shortly after 1 a.m. when a stranger walked past him and muttered, "I had a fight with my girlfriend."

Wallander said the man was unsteady and appeared to be intoxicated.

"I knew he was up to no good," said the Maytown man, who watched the stranger walk up to a neighbor's home,  grab a motorcycle and start pushing it down the street.

Wallander immediately called 911 and kept his eye on the man as he waited for police.

"He kept dropping the cycle. He must have dropped it five times," the homeowner said.

Susquehanna Regional police Officer Dave Clancy responded to the theft-in-progress call. Within minutes — because of the phone call — Charles  Glenn Pletcher Jr., 25, of 5785 Hilltop Drive, Gap, was in custody, Clancy said.

Pletcher abandoned the 2000 Honda cycle, which lacked a key, at the intersection of Wild Cherry Lane and Red Cedar Lane. He then tried to hide from police, but had no luck doing so.

In less than five minutes, Clancy and Sgt. Josh Rapp had the Gap man in custody.

"He was about 125 yards away from where he dumped the cycle," said Clancy.

The phone call made all the difference, Clancy said.

"He (Wallander) definitely assisted in the apprehension," said Clancy. He called it in and initiated the activity that led toward solving a crime in progress. It was wonderful," the officer said.

"I don't feel like a hero," said Wallander, who is a truck driver for the Charles Poultry firm. "I was just doing something that any other person would do."

Police took Pletcher before Magisterial Court Judge William G. Reuter of Mount Joy. He was charged with theft of a motor vehicle, and he also had a probation detainer, Clancy said.

Bail was set at $5,000 cash and Pletcher was committed to Lancaster County Prison.

This was the fourth time in the past two weeks that police here have arrested suspects in theft crimes due to the quick reaction of citizens who recognized what was happening. The other three incidents happened in Lancaster and Lancaster Township.


Staff writer John M. Hoober III can be reached at jhoober@LNPnews.com or 481-6027.