How threats at a Myrtle Beach area outlet mall ended in a stolen truck, car chase, cops say
A Charlotte, North Carolina, man is in jail after police say he threatened a woman at an Horry County outlet mall, stole a car and then led police on a car chase along a major thoroughfare.
Horry County police officers initially responded to the U.S. Highway 501 Tanger Outlet mall around 1 p.m. on Thursday for a report of a weapon, according to a police report.
A woman said she saw a man — later identified as 27-year-old Anthony Garcia — looking in the windows of her car. The woman asked Garcia if he needed something, and Garcia started to walk away. Garcia then turned and took a picture of the back of the woman’s car.
Garcia then pointed what the victim thought was a handgun at her, but it was later determined to be a cellphone, the report said. The victim ducked behind her vehicle and looked out to see if Garcia was still around, and, again, he pointed the object at her, police said.
After a few minutes, the woman checked again and Garcia was gone, the report states.
About two hours later, police were tracking a stolen Ford 350 along U.S. 501 and tried to stop the vehicle. The driver, Garcia, fled and police pursued, authorities said. Garcia reached a dead end on Maccoa Drive and was arrested, according to the police report.
Garcia said he was at the Carolina Forest Kroger and saw the truck running, unlocked and unattended, the report states. Garcia added he knew police were chasing him but was trying to meet up with a friend in Conway.
Horry County police charged Garcia with failure to stop for blue lights and grand larceny of a vehicle valued at $10,000 or more. He remains incarcerated at J. Reuben Long jail on $20,000 bond.
This story was originally published November 11, 2019 at 2:39 PM.
