A security guard walking out of Kaufmann's department store at Shenango Valley Mall Thursday afternoon saw a man throwing things out of a vehicle. A second look was enough for him to realize that the vehicle did not belong to the person inside and when the guard tried to get his attention, the man ran into the woods toward McConnell Road,

Hermitage police said they later caught Brad Andrew Laverty, 23, of 1120 Weitz Ave., Farrell. He was charged with five counts of theft from a motor vehicle, police said.

According to police, Laverty had broken into three vehicles Thursday afternoon in the mall parking lot, one of which belonged to the security guard. As they continued their investigation, evidence was found linking him to two other vehicle break-ins, police said.

More than a dozen vehicle break-ins have occurred in the mall area and on side roads off the industrial area of Broadway Avenue between Nov. 9 and Wednesday, police said, adding that they are investigating Laverty in connection with those incidents.

Laverty was arraigned Thursday before District Justice Henry J. Russo, Hermitage. He was in Mercer County Jail Friday afternoon after failing to post $10,000 bond, police said. Other charges related to the break-ins include one count of receiving stolen property, one county of forgery and one count of access device fraud for allegedly using a credit card stolen from one of the vehicles, police said.

Laverty was also arrested at 7:45 p.m. Wednesday at East Connelly Boulevard and Spencer Avenue in Sharon on charges of hit and run of an attended vehicle, driving without insurance and driving on a suspended license, police said.