CENTER TWP — A young couple is accused of breaking into a car at Clearview Mall and stealing a wallet.

State police Monday charged Richard J. Schafer Jr., 23, of Worthington, Armstrong County, and his girlfriend, Andrea M. Sell, 18, of Butler with theft, conspiracy, receiving stolen property and theft from a vehicle.

Police began investigating the case on Aug. 27 when Tyler Drzemecki reported finding his wallet gone from his car that had been there from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. It contained $60, credit cards and his driver's license.

A mall maintenance employee later told police that he had seen a man and woman acting suspiciously near the victim's car that day. The pair went in the car and left in a minivan.

The employee gave investigators a description of the suspects and the van's license plate number.

Police in September spoke to the defendants, who admitted taking the wallet, according to court documents. Two days later, Schafer turned over the wallet to the police.

Preliminary hearings for the pair are set for Jan. 5 at the office of District Judge Lewis Stoughton in Chicora.