SHAMOKIN - A 15-year-old male from Coal Township has been charged with multiple felonies for allegedly stealing a handgun from a truck on South Shamokin Street Friday morning.
The teen is accused of removing a black Davis Industries P-380 .38-caliber handgun belonging to Tony Getchey, of 48 S. Shamokin St. Police said the gun was stolen between midnight and 6:30 a.m. while Getchey's truck was parked in his driveway.
The juvenile, who police say was identified through home security cameras, was located walking in the first block of North Shamokin Street at 7:10 p.m. Friday and taken into custody.
Interviewed by police in the presence of his mother, the teen admitted to trying to enter several vehicles on Rock Street in search of money, but initially denied stealing the gun before later confessing to the crime, police said.
After stealing the gun, the juvenile told police he realized he didn't want it. Police said the teen then entered an abandoned property at 14 S. Shamokin St. and hid the gun in a decorative fireplace on the first floor, where it was recovered by police at 9:25 p.m. Friday.
Cpl. Darwin Tobias III filed a juvenile petition against the teen charging him with felonies of theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, possession of a firearm by a minor and criminal trespass and misdemeanors of theft from a motor vehicle and loitering and prowling at night.
Chief of Police Edward Griffiths, who commended Tobias for making a quick arrest, warned residents to keep their vehicles and residences locked.