Cody James Craig

A Westmoreland County man is wanted on charges he was caught with more than $2,800 in stolen jewelry in Butler.

City police Friday obtained an arrest warrant for Cody James Craig, 30, of Vandergrift. He is charged with five felony counts of receiving stolen property.

Police said their investigation began Aug. 11 when they got a call from Robert Stephens Custom Jewelers on North Main Street for a report of man who had tried to sell a box of jewelry. He also allegedly attempted to steal a bracelet.

The suspect left the store and was seen driving away in a pickup, police said.

An officer stopped the truck a short time later. Craig denied trying to take any jewelry while at the store.

In the truck, according to charging documents, police found a small cardboard box containing five gold chains, five silver chains, a gold pin, a silver pendant, a gold ring with diamonds and a clear gemstone.

Also recovered from the truck was a jewelry box and another cardboard box, each with a pair of earrings inside.

Craig told police he had gone to the store to get a price on some of the items, documents said. He also admitted being in the area working as a drywall finisher at Park Manor in Butler Township.

He was arrested on a felony count of retail theft for allegedly attempting to take the bracelet from the store. He was placed in the Butler County Prison in lieu of $5,000 bond. On Aug. 24, Craig waived the charge to court, and he was released on his own recognizance.

Butler police Capt. Jim Hollobaugh eventually learned that the contractors had left the Park Manor senior apartment complex three weeks earlier and were working at the Sunbury Fields apartments for senior citizens in Center Township.

Hollobaugh subsequently identified four tenants at Sunbury Fields who had jewelry turn up missing during the time contractors were in their apartments.

Butler Township police also found a Park Manor resident who was missing a clear gemstone from a ring.

The owners of the jewelry later identified their property from the items police found in Craig's truck, police said. In all, the items are valued at $2,815.

State police and Butler Township police said Tuesday that they are continuing to investigate the suspected thefts at Sunbury Estates and Park Manor.

Online court records did not indicate if Craig has an attorney in connection with the latest charges.