A Harrison man is accused of stealing a bright yellow squad truck from Harrison Hills Volunteer Fire Co. before police recovered it a few hours later, according to township police.

Mark Bauer, 65, is in the Allegheny County jail after police charged him with an early Monday spree that included breaking into a Sunoco on Freeport Road and taking $4,000 in merchandise.

Bauer is charged with two counts each of felony burglary, criminal trespass and receiving stolen property and one count each of felony and misdemeanor theft.

An arrest was made quickly after evidence at the scene helped officers develop a suspect, Harrison police Chief Brian Turack said.

Police were called at about 6:30 a.m. to the Sunoco at 3039 Freeport Road, where officers said they found evidence of a forced entry.

Fire officials reported a short time later that someone had broken into the Harrison Hills station and drove off in a 2009 Ford F-550, emblazoned with the Harrison Hills name and emblem.

It didn’t take long for police to track down the truck. It was recovered just a few hours later on a residential street in New Kensington, Turack said.

“A search warrant was executed at the house on Marlboro Drive where Bauer had been observed leaving,” Turack said. “A vehicle was impounded pending further investigation.”

There was also a lot of police investigation activity along Craigdell Road, Turack said.

Additional charges are pending against Bauer and potentially others, Turack said. Bauer was arraigned before District Judge Carolyn Bengel in Brackenridge, who ordered Bauer held without bond.

The recovered Harrison Hills Fire Truck was processed at a secure location and returned to the fire company.

Turack said Allegheny County Office of the Medical Examiner’s Forensics Division was called to assist. Other departments that assisted include Tarentum, New Kensington, Lower Burrell, Southern Armstrong Regional and agents from the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office.

Bauer has a history of similar break-ins in Harrison.

In 2023, he was arrested on charges that he broke into Freehling Service, Della’s Frozen Custard and Harbison Nursery, all along Freeport Road.

In each instance, Bauer is accused of breaking windows and taking cash, according to court dockets.

Police were able to charge Bauer after blood droplets found at all three buildings matched his DNA.

Bauer’s preliminary hearing on his latest charges is scheduled for July 22 before Bengel.