Man Accused Of Stealing Amazon Delivery Truck In Malden
MALDEN (CBS) - Surveillance video captured the moment a good Samaritan tried to stop a man police say had stolen an Amazon truck in Malden. Police say 42-year-old Michael Cunha of Somerville jumped into an open Amazon truck in the area of Bickford Road and Main Street Thursday afternoon.
"The victim, the delivery driver, was actually doing his job," Malden Police Lt. Mike Powell said. "He was making a delivery and in a matter of seconds, obviously you can see what can go wrong."
Police say Cunha drove several blocks, got out of the truck and ran.
That's where he encountered Yosef Tesfaye, who was working at Habesha, his family's restaurant. He says the suspect came up to his door. "And I asked him why he do that, and he said he was looking out for a cop and the cop was standing here," Tesfaye said. "Then I seen the Amazon man running down saying 'oh that's the thief, that's the thief.'"
Tesfaye ran after him, getting the man down to the ground.
"I was scared to be frank. Because I don't know what he has, I was trying to protect the other guy," Tesfaye said.
The suspect got away, but thanks to the work of K9 Mattis with Malden Police, he was arrested about 40 minutes later.
"Part of our success today was because of K9 Mattis," Lt. Powell said.
A judge ordered Cunha to undergo a mental health evaluation after he appeared in court on Friday. A not guilty plea was entered on his behalf.
Prosecutors said Cunha had a knife and an air pistol on him at the time of the alleged carjacking. They requested $5,000 cash bail.
In court, Cunha's sister said she was concerned about her brother's mental health and substance abuse.
