Off the Cuff: Pa. man, handcuffed, escapes from cops

COMMODORE, Pa. - A western Pennsylvania man is jailed on charges he stole a pair of handcuffs he was wearing when he allegedly escaped from a state police cruiser.

Troopers say 29-year-old Douglas Lydic, of Commodore, was handcuffed but not yet charged while they searched a location in his hometown for drugs Sunday night.

Police have yet to charge him in that case but say he climbed out a cruiser window while cuffed and wound up at his girlfriend's home miles away.

Lydic now also faces a charge of escape at a preliminary hearing scheduled for Jan. 2.

He's been in the Indiana County Jail since he was re-arrested Monday morning at his girlfriend's home. She's facing charges of hindering his apprehension by police.