The man who allegedly stole a State Police cruiser Monday in South Boston was taken into custody Tuesday after state troopers found him walking down the Massachusetts Turnpike in Newton, ripping pages from a Bible and throwing them into traffic, State Police said.

Troopers chased the man at around 7 a.m. as he fled from the highway and crossed train tracks, State Police said in a statement. Troopers and Newton police found him on Craft Street.

Police determined he had been hospitalized recently. The man’s name was not released because of his condition, State Police said.

Troopers recognized the man from the security footage taken at the Department of Transportation maintenance facility on D Street in South Boston, where a cruiser was stolen Monday morning.

The car was found abandoned in Somerville just before 1 p.m. Monday, State Police said.

The man was taken to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital for evaluation, State Police said. Troopers have not decided whether the man will be charged.

The stolen cruiser was a spare and was at the facility for engine repairs, State Police said. It did not contain any weapons and nothing seemed to be missing from the cruiser when it was found at the Twin City Plaza in Somerville.

Dylan McGuinness can be reached at dylan.mcguinness@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DylMcGuinness.