A search is underway for a man who stole a van and then led police on a pursuit through several Philadelphia neighborhoods on Thursday morning.
The man stole the white van from 2nd and Christian Streets in Queen Village around 6:45 a.m., police say.
A manager for DLC Transportation, the company that owns the van, told NBC10.com that the driver had left the van and returned to find the suspect inside. He then sped away.
Officers used GPS to track down the van, which was seen driving erratically, through the city. Police caught up to the stolen vehicle near the Manayunk section a short time later, but chose to back off to prevent a crash.
Witnesses say they watched the van speed down Flat Rock Road next to the Schuykill River and then crash into an wooded embankment near PaperWorks Industries, a packaging manufacturer.
Police believe the man is either hiding in the brush or is in the river. They are canvassing the area by foot, boat and employing the help of K9 officers.
A description for the man was not immediately released.
