Police: Hampton Bays man arrested with stolen goods

A Hampton Bays man was captured during a short, police chase after he was spotted rummaging through cars parked outside a home hosting a party on Christmas Eve, Southampton Town police said Wednesday.

Alexander Thomas, 18, was arrested shortly after 10:45 p.m. Tuesday in Hampton Bays, police said.

He was going through several unlocked cars parked on the driveway of a home, and when one of the residents confronted him, he ran, police said.

Officers set up a perimeter to catch him, police said, and a police dog and handler from the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office began tracking the suspect, police said.

It was then that another resident a few houses away reported seeing someone in the back yard, police said.

Officers chased and arrested Thomas, who eventually was identified by a witness as the man going through the cars, police said.

Thomas was found with stolen items, including prescription medication, an iPod, cash and marijuana from one of the vehicles, police said.

SEE PHOTOSNotable LI crimes

He was charged with several misdemeanors: petit larceny, fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, obstructing governmental administration and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. He also was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, a violation.

Thomas was released after getting an appearance ticket to go to court for arraignment.