A homeless man will face a preliminary hearing before District Justice James E. McMahon, Sharon, for crimes he allegedly committed last week in several municipalities, including stealing a church van.

Channing Gabriel Harris, 34, was arrested Friday afternoon at 565 Prindle St., Sharon, after he surprised people moving into an apartment, Sharon police said.

Police gave the following account of how Harris was arrested:

He had been squatting in a vacant apartment and hid in a closet while new residents were moving in. A resident opened the closet door and Harris ran out.

Police chased Harris, and he tried to kick in a door of another Prindle residence to get away.

Southwest Mercer County Regional and South Pymatuning Township police were looking for Harris.

Police said Harris stole a van Thursday from Children of Zion Daycare in Farrell and drove it to South Pymatuning where he stole money from the Dean Dairy Plant. He then left in the van, which hit a ditch and got a flat tire. Harris drove the van on the tire rim back to Farrell.

The van was damaged beyond repair, and the day care's insurance company paid off the value of the loan on the vehicle, but did not replace it.

April Torrence, the day care's director, said an escrow fund has been established to accept donations toward the purchase of a new van. She said the van is normally used to take children to and from school.

"Right now, we're walking children across the street to school, and using our personal cars to take them home in the afternoon," she said.

Harris' preliminary hearing is set for 11 a.m. Oct. 30.