Man arrested for stealing auto parts from Guilderland towing company

June 24, 2009 - 4:44 PM

Mark Van Wormer

A Rotterdam man has been arrested after he was seen fleeing the property of a towing company with car parts he allegedly stole from the business.

State Police began investigating a complaint from Bob's Towing and Crushing, located at 3600 Western Ave. in Guilderland, after a worker saw a man running from the yard on June 17th, carrying objects and running into the neighboring yard before leaving in a Mercury Cougar.

The owner of the business found missing from his automotive yard several headlight assemblies, a radiator and grill assembly, and 14 cars missing their catalytic converters.

Based on the description of the suspect and the getaway car, the business owner suspected his neighbor, 46-year-old Mark Van Wormer, may have been the burglar.

After an interview, State Police determined Van Wormer did indeed trespass on the propertyand steal at least three of the missing catalytic converters.

Van Wormer was arrested for three counts of petit larceny and criminal trespass. He's scheduled to re-appear in town court.