Bedford police arrested a car theft suspect who was hiding in the crawl space of a convenience store after a standoff Monday that dragged on about seven hours.
The ordeal started about 7 a.m. when a deputy noticed the man parked in the middle of a street near Burleson, according to Tarrant County Sheriff’s Lt. Jennifer Gabbert.
When the deputy approached, he took off, prompting a short chase.
But he got away, only to abandon the car and steal a pickup truck, Gabbert said.
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Police in Bedford spotted the stolen pickup at a Shell gas station near Highway 121 and Murphy Road.
The clerk, who declined to give his name, said the man walked in like any other customer and bought a few lottery tickets.
When he saw officers arrive and look at the pickup, he got on the floor and crawled into the bathroom, apparently to hide from police, the clerk said.
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Officers evacuated the store and that’s when the long standoff began.
Police tried talking to him, even called a dog and used a fire department ladder truck. But nothing worked.
A SWAT team then fired tear gas into the attic, and he finally surrendered, police said.
He was wanted for a parole violation and now faces multiple new charges, Gabbert said.
Late Monday, police identified the suspect as Malcolm Daily, 33.
Daily has a long criminal record and was wanted for parole violation, the sheriff's department said.
