A Gloucester County man is accused of stealing a vehicle from Ventnor and then ditching a handgun while running from police.
A resident at the Regency Towers Condominiums on the Boardwalk called police late Saturday morning to report her vehicle was stolen overnight, Chief Joe Fussner said.
An investigation by Officer James Franco found the theft had been captured on surveillance at about 4 a.m.
Sgt. Marc Franco Jr. was on patrol around Weymouth and Winchester avenues that night, when he saw a man matching the clothing description of the suspect.
He was later identified at Gregory Ganski III, 22, of Williamstown.
Franco Jr. called for other officers, but Ganski fled when they tried to stop him, Fussner said.
While running, Ganski discarded several items down an alley, including a bag, according to the report.
He was taken into custody.
A search of the alley resulted in a 9mm handgun and the bag, which contained the stolen vehicle’s key.
The vehicle was found several blocks from where the sergeant first saw Ganski.
It was returned to the owner.
Ganski is charged with theft of a motor vehicle, resisting arrests, hindering apprehension, obstructing the administration of the law, forgery, receiving stolen property, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of defaced firearm and possession of a weapon by a certain person not to have a weapon.
He was sentenced to three years in a theft case in 2019, court records show.
Ganski had several outstanding warrants at the time of his arrest, including ones for obstruction, according to court records.
He is in the Atlantic County Justice Facility.
