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Hardy's ex-wife says jewels stolen

She accuses current, estranged husband

ROSTRAVER. — The ex-wife of 84 Lumber Co. founder Joe Hardy told police that her current but estranged husband has stolen $5 million worth of jewelry from their home.

Rostraver Township police said Sunday they were still looking for Paul Ucman II, 43, whom they charged Saturday with theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property.

Debra Hardy-Ucman told police her husband took the jewelry from safes in her bedroom late last month, according to a criminal affidavit filed by township police officer Richard Beranek.

Authorities were doing an inventory of Debra Hardy-Ucman's jewels to determine exactly what was stolen. But the missing items include a diamond ring worth $650,000, a diamond necklace worth $500,000, a Rolex watch worth $100,000 and a Piaget watch worth about $85,000, according to the affidavit.

Debra Hardy-Ucman told police she and Ucman are in the process of getting a divorce.

Surveillance cameras at the home showed Ucman arrived at the residence about 20 minutes after Hardy-Ucman told her husband she was leaving the residence on the afternoon of Sept. 28. The cameras showed Ucman enter the bedroom where the safes are located, police said.

"The door to the safes were secure and were not forcibly entered," Beranek's affidavit said.

Police filed assault charges against Ucman after a domestic dispute in May, but a district judge dismissed them after Hardy-Ucman refused to testify.

Hardy-Ucman was the second wife of Joe Hardy, the millionaire founder of 84 Lumber.

Hardy married 23-year-old Kristin Georgi in May, but he filed for divorce in August, citing "irreconcilable differences."

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