PENN TWP — It was a thief's paradise, the perfect setup:

Alone for hours on end in a house on sprawling and secluded property taking care of the wealthy, elderly homeowner who suffers from Alzheimer's.

The temptation, according to Penn Township police, proved too much for Johnathan Allen, hired to serve as a caretaker for John Yoder, former owner of Butler County's so-called "Mushroom Mine."

Instead of helping the 88-year-old Yoder, court documents allege, Allen helped himself to silverware, jewelry, household goods, a shotgun, paintings and other artwork, bottles of wine and whiskey; apparently whatever he could get his hands on.

Allen, 33, of 110 Schnur Road, Summit Township, is accused of taking a half dozen sleeping bags, numerous golf training DVDs, even food from cabinets.

"It became so easy for him to steal that he just loaded up and took what he could find,"said patrolman Stephen Setnar. "It got to where I don't think he paid attention to what he was taking."

In time, however, Yoder's 67-year-old girlfriend last month discovered property — some her own — missing from the old farmhouse.

Much of the property totaling in the thousands of dollars turned up in Allen's home, his parents' home and a storage unit, police said.

Allen, accompanied by his attorney, turned himself in to police Tuesday at the office of District Judge Sue Haggerty, who arraigned the defendant on more than 50 counts of theft and other charges in the case.

He is charged with 13 counts each of theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property, 12 counts each of theft by deception and criminal mischief, and two counts each of unsworn falsification to authorities and false reports to law enforcement authorities.

Allen, who is free after posting bail on $15,000 bond, has denied any wrongdoing and insisted he did not steal Yoder's property.

"He's claiming the items were abandoned," said defense attorney Stephen Misko of his client. "He's denying he stole the items. They were either discarded or given to him due to their condition."

Allen's arrest followed a three-week investigation that began May 15 when Abigail McGuire started noticing items missing from her boyfriend's two-story house on Dutchtown Road.

McGuire of Pittsburgh spends much time at the home, providing companionship and assistance to Yoder, who recently started suffering from Alzheimer's disease. He requires constant attention from a cadre of caretakers.

Yoder's house is on 150 acres of lush green, picture-postcard property surrounded by trees and plants, and inhabited by geese, ducks and other water fowl attracted by a lake accentuated by a waterfall.

He amassed his wealth as the operator of the Butler County Mushroom Farm Co. in West Winfield. The former limestone mine produced Moonlight Mushrooms for several decades.

Allen began working for Yoder on April 18. The defendant was one of several caretakers who provided whatever assistance Yoder needed — 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The caretakers work regular shifts, and they work alone, police said.

McGuire's initial police report last month detailed the first signs that property was being stolen from the house, right under the nose of and unbeknown to Yoder.

The report noted 10 place settings of Rosenthal dishes were gone. Also missing were a food processor and an iPod.

Amore complete inventory of missing items — a lot more missing items — would come later.

Atip led police to suspect Allen may have taken the dishes, documents said. Police got a warrant to search Allen's home.

"During the initial phase of the search several items that were reported missing from the Yoder property were found,"a police affidavit said.

Fresh from their discovery, police went to Yoder's home to speak with the defendant. He told police he was aware that property had turned up missing from the house.

Allen denied stealing the property even after Setnar told him they found some of the items at his home.

Armed with the evidence gathered in the search, police arrested Allen. He was taken to the police station and, after waiving his Miranda warning, interviewed.

"He continued to lie and be deceitful,"Setnar said. The defendant claimed not knowing the whereabout of the missing property.

Police did not charge Allen, and instead stepped up their investigation, which led to the Butler home of Allen's parents. Police recovered some of the stolen items from the trash at their home, documents said.

Much more stolen property would turn up inside a Route 38 storage unit rented by the defendant, according to Setnar

"The storage facility was jam-packed with stuff,"the office said.

Among the property that police seized from Allen's home, his parents' home and the storage locker are a chainsaw, pearl necklace, numerous cameras, clothing, household goods, DVDs and videotapes, a telescope, office supplies, sculptures, statues and paintings.

"We even found 33 bottles of unopened liquor,"Setnar said. "We're talking Grand Marnier and Gray Goose; all top-shelf stuff. And lots of wine."

Police tallied up the value of the items recovered:$14,656.

But investigators believe they have not accounted for all of the stolen items.

"Family, friends and employees are still finding additional items missing,"Setnar said.

Police said Allen worked as a caretaker from April 18 to May 24, when he was fired. Investigators do not know when the defendant allegedly began taking property.

Setnar said Allen used his car to haul away the property.

"To my knowledge,"Setnar said, "the parents and (Allen's) wife never questioned where the stuff was coming from. They believed Mr. Yoder was throwing stuff away as junk and that Mr. Yoder was giving (Allen) stuff."

Allen faces a preliminary hearing at 1 p.m. July 24 at Haggerty's office.