Austintown Police have arrested a man accused of stealing nearly $860 worth of merchandise from the Family Farm and Home store on Mahoning Avenue.

Just after 10:30 a.m. Thursday, police responded to a call from the store claiming that a suspect, later identified as 50-year-old Michael Burns of Austintown walked out of the store with a Yeti cooler he did not pay for.

Police eventually found Burns walking westbound on the 4400 block of Norquest Boulevard. Police say Burns began to flee upon noticing the patrol car approaching him.

Police began to chase Burns on foot and quickly apprehended him in the backyard of a home. 

Police say Burns was carrying a Milwaukee knife still in its original packaging as well as two unopened candy bars. Police later recovered the cooler, which contained several outdoor clothing items and two packages of arrows with the value totaling $858.49.

All of the stolen items were returned to the business.

Police say Burns has a prior history with this store, as he had three warrants out for his arrest, along with a trespassing warning from Family Farm and Home.

According to a State Complaint document dated October 24, 2022, Burns had previously stolen two chainsaws from the store with a total value of $569.98. 

Additionally, documents claim that Burns had cut a braided steel security cable on the store's property with a bolt cutter that was stolen from the store. 

Burns was placed in the Mahoning County Jail where he's facing charges of Criminal Trespassing, two counts of Theft, Criminal Dangering / Endangering, Obstructing Official Business and Failure to Control.

He is scheduled to be arraigned via video Friday, November 18 at 1:00 p.m.