MANCHESTER - A Belmont man, cornered by police in the backyard of a Lake Avenue residence, made his escape by breaking off part of a stockade fence and fleeing through it, according to police.

Jason Macleod, 32, of 10 Range Road, eluded police for only a short time, as officers caught up to him later, locating him hiding under a grill in the yard of a Spruce Street residence, according to a police news release.

Macleod was arrested about 3 a.m. Tuesday and charged with resisting arrest and criminal mischief. Additionally, he was held on a contempt charge for violating bail conditions set in a previous case in 9th Circuit Court, Manchester District Division.

The incident began when someone called police at 2:53 a.m. to report a suspicious person inside a neighbor's parked vehicle at Hanover and Highland streets.

When officers confronted the man, identified as Macleod by police, he ran off across Lake Avenue. An officer chased him into the rear of 543 Lake Ave. where police believed they had him cornered because of a stockade fence.

Macleod, instead of surrendering, broke apart a section of the fence and escaped from the yard, running south toward Spruce Street, according to police.

Other officers, however, later found him hiding under a grill in a Spruce Street yard where he was arrested without further incident.

Police said Macleod had in his possession several items believed taken from vehicles parked in the area, including three cellphones and a GPS unit. Police are seeking to determine ownership of the items.

Macleod was already scheduled for trial in 9th Circuit Court, Manchester District Division, Jan. 22 on the contempt charges. He was arraigned Tuesday morning in circuit court on the new charges of resisting arrest, criminal mischief and contempt of court.

Macleod pleaded innocent to the new charges Tuesday and asked for personal recognizance bail, saying he just got a job at a Chili’s restaurant. A police prosecutor said Macleod was on personal recognizance bail for resisting arrest and has cases pending in Hillsborough County Superior Court North.

Macleod failed to appear in court in September and was convicted of resisting arrest in July 2012 and was sentenced to 12 months, with nine months suspended.

Judge Gregory Michael set bail at $1,000 cash/surety, with conditions that include no contact with a particular person and not going to that person’s residence.

There will be a status hearing on the new charges Jan. 22, when trial is held on the earlier charges.