One motorist found himself in handcuffs after failing to stop for police about 11:30 p.m. Monday and fleeing officers on foot.

The reporting officer said he was watching for traffic violations at Park Avenue and Wilkes Street and saw a 2002 Hyundai Sonata fail to stop at the stop sign.

According to the report, the officer got behind the vehicle and attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the motorist continued driving, taking a left on Ridge Street.

Police said the driver crossed into the opposite lane of traffic on College Avenue and continued south turning onto Wilkes Street.

The officer said the driver then suddenly bailed out of the car in the 300 block of Wilkes Street, jumped a fence and started running back toward Murphy Avenue.

Officers questioned a passenger inside the car and learned the driver’s name, who reportedly had a warrant out through Pardons and Parole.

Police were able to trace the vehicle information back to an address where they found the driver located inside the residence, where he was arrested.

The motorist was issued a warning for running the initial stop sign, three citations for the failure to stop at stop signs, a citation for driving with a suspended driver’s license, a citation for fleeing/attempting to elude and a citation for obstruction.

Church burglary

Someone with a big appetite broke into the Christ House of Prayer located at 301 E. Depot St. and stole canned food from an unsecured office.

A church member called LaGrange police on Monday around 12:30 p.m. after noticing someone had forced open the back door to the church.

They also discovered an attic door in the ceiling had been kicked down from inside, breaking loose a 2 by 4 that had been secured over the door. Officers determined someone initially went through an exterior hole on the side of the building and gained access to the attic, where they attempted to force open the attic door.

The church member told officers it probably happened between Dec. 6 and Monday.

The value of the canned food items were estimated at about $50.