Lip balm, lighters

taken from vehicle

A Rutland man is accused of breaking into a car in the Green Mountain Shopping Plaza and stealing, among other things, lip balm and several lighters.

Police were called to the plaza on Route 7 in Rutland Town at 1:44 p.m. Tuesday for a report of someone trying to steal DVDs from Hannaford’s supermarket.

But en route, police were notified that the suspect had moved to the parking lot where a Center Rutland woman said she found a man rooting through her car.

When the woman confronted the man, he turned over several items to her — including the lip balm and lighters — and then fled behind the Holiday Inn, police said.

After a short foot chase, police say they apprehended Brandon Luther, 21, hiding in a group of trees.

Luther was charged with petty larceny and was taken to the Rutland jail on an outstanding arrest warrant related to another incident.

He was issued a citation to appear in Rutland criminal court to answer to the larceny charge next month.