A Franklin man is facing theft charges after allegedly stealing a gun and other items from his nephew’s residence in Cranberry Township.
Franklin state police said in a criminal complaint that on Aug. 27, 2021, a man told police that he suspected his uncle, Wallace Lloyd Stone, had stolen a loaded .40-caliber pistol from the man’s residence at Black Beary Lane while the man was on vacation.
The complaint said Stone visited the man’s mother, who was staying at the house to watch the dogs while the man was on vacation.
Stone’s brother later told police that Stone had come to his house near the end of August 2021 and showed him a pistol he had recently acquired, closely matching the victim’s description of his missing pistol, which Stone claimed to have bought cheap from a drug dealer in Meadville, the complaint stated.
The victim told police in a follow-up interview that he had called Stone and asked him to return the stolen items, and Stone admitted to taking the paint but denied taking anything else, according to the complaint.
Stone is facing one felony count and one misdemeanor count of theft by unlawful taking-movable property.
Stone was arraigned before District Judge Matthew Kirtland on Aug. 29, 2023, and his preliminary hearing is scheduled at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 27 before District Judge Andrew Fish.
