A 31-year-old Austin man accused of breaking into the Old Mill Restaurant June 29 after a boat chase down the Cedar River has pleaded not guilty to burglary and theft charges.

According to a court complaint an employee at the restaurant at 3405 11th Place NE was giving a relative a tour of the business at about 5 p.m. on June 29 when he allegedly spotted Michael Gordon Falk in the basement.

Falk fled the restaurant down a path to the Cedar River where another man waited with kayaks. The pair traveled west and south down the Cedar River.

Police were able to get one of the men to row ashore, but that man allegedly knew nothing about the burglary or why the pair was at the Old Mill. The Austin Fire Department brought a boat to the river, which officers used to apprehend Falk after a chase down the river.

According to the complaint, Falk had cleaning supplies and lighters in his kayak that were taken from the restaurant. In addition, more cleaning supplies were found between the restaurant and the river. Falk allegedly told police it was the other man who broke into the Old Mill, but the man and another witness confirmed Falk was the one who was inside the restaurant. Falk’s companion told police Falk had asked to stop near the restaurant for a minute.

Falk’s next court appearance is Aug. 7.