COUNTY - He escaped custody wearing a set of handcuffs so the police also charged him with theft.

 Eighteen-year-old Jordan Van Durling will spend the next year on probation after he received a suspended sentence January 27.

 The Union Square teen pleaded guilty to two sets of charges from last October.

 The first happened on October 29 when Mounties were investigating a complaint about young people lighting fires near the high school in New Germany.

 Officers put Mr. Durling in the back of a police car as part of that investigation, but someone opened the door and let him out. Mr. Durling ran away still wearing handcuffs.

 The RCMP found him at home later that night and arrested him again, but he refused to say what he'd done with the cuffs.

 Two nights later, officers responded to a disturbance call at a home in Watford. Mr. Durling was arrested again for breaching his release conditions. Police also found five grams of marijuana on him.

 While on probation, the teen must take substance abuse counselling as directed and pay $40 restitution for the handcuffs.

 He was fined $300 for the marijuana.

posted on 02/02/10