Police Chase Through Vestal Dollar Store

12/6/2012 (Updated 11:05:26 PM)

A dramatic police chase of an escaped suspect in Vestal, Thursday evening, and we have eyewitness interviews with those who saw it.

The action unfolding shortly before six Thursday evening- at the Vestal dollar store on Front Street.

A man being detained by police on a criminal charge at a location less than a mile away--escaped from custody and fled on foot-- and ended up here.

He entered the store, looking flustered, they said, asked to use a phone-- and then, as police descended on the store-- he attempted to hide inside the store.

"He came through the store and I have a barrier here to keep customers out during the week to protect everybody's flea merchandise. But, he came under the barrier,  he came under the barrier there and they found him under the table over there hiding," says Colleen Malarkey, the store owner.

"The police came charging in like 'did the guy leave?' I'm like, 'oh my god' and I was like shook up, ok, I was really shook up, and you know being only 16 I was breathing really heavily and I was freaked out.  They're like 'ok, stand up front here and just everybody move to the front of the store.'  They were all business.  They were searching the store for the guy up and down-everywhere.  And, so, finally they were like we're going to have to to have you guys step outside.  So they stepped outside and let the dog in," says Emily Rossi, the store clerk.