A man has been charged with stealing a delivery driver’s car at a Palmerton business.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by officer Dane O’Brien of the Palmerton Borough Police Department:

At 4:28 p.m. Saturday, O’Brien was dispatched to Papa Al’s Restaurant in the 300 block of Lehigh Avenue for a report of a stolen vehicle.

A restaurant delivery driver told police his car, a silver 2001 Saturn S Series, was stolen. The car was running, with the keys in it, when the driver went into the restaurant to get the next order.

O’Brien reviewed the restaurant’s surveillance footage, and saw a man, later identified as Chance Whiteman, 20, approach the vehicle from the south side of the street, get into the car and drive away.

At 5:17 p.m. Sunday, the Pennsylvania State Police Lehighton barracks, called O’Brien to say they had Whiteman in their custody.

Whiteman was later transported to Palmerton police station and told police, “I had to take the vehicle because I didn’t have a ride.”

Whiteman faces charges of theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property.

He is currently incarcerated in the Carbon County Correctional Facility in lieu of $10,000 straight bail, and scheduled to have a preliminary hearing Oct. 14 before District Judge William Kissner of Palmerton.