CLARION, Pa. (EYT) – An Indiana man accused of stealing change from a donation box at a local store pleaded guilty in Clarion County Central Court on Tuesday.
The Clarion Borough Police Department had charged 24-year-old Matthew Kirk Wiles with stealing $10.68 worth of change during an October 23 incident at the Sheetz store located on Route 322.
On Tuesday, Wiles pleaded guilty to theft by unlawful taking and was ordered to pay $272.25 in court costs and fines.
Charges of receiving stolen property, disorderly conduct, and public drunkenness were withdrawn.
Details of the case:
According to a criminal complaint filed at District Judge Duane L. Quinn’s office, Officer Maxwell was dispatched to Sheetz along U.S. Route 322 on October 23 around 3:05 a.m. for a report of a theft.
Matthew Wiles was still at the store when Officer Maxwell arrived. Officer Maxwell approached Wiles as he was ordering food from a Sheetz MTO kiosk.
“I ordered Wiles to keep his hands where I could see them,” said Officer Maxwell in the criminal complaint.
Wiles was on the phone and did not comply, according to the criminal complaint.
“I grabbed Wiles and put him in cuffs,” said Officer Maxwell in the criminal complaint.
The criminal complaint stated that Officer Maxwell took Wiles to his cruiser and performed a search.
During the search, Officer Maxwell found $10.68 worth of change in Wiles’ two front pockets. Wiles also had a silver folding knife in his possession.
Officer Maxwell placed Wiles in the back of his cruiser and then went back into Sheetz to gather additional information.
Officer Maxwell and Officer Justin O’Neil spoke with the clerk who stated that Wiles took the change out of a donation box on the counter. The clerk stated that Wiles used a pair of scissors to pry his way into the donation box, according to the criminal complaint.
A video of the incident was later reviewed by Officer Maxwell.
“I watched the video with the Sheetz staff and could clearly see Wiles use a pair of scissors, taken from the counter, to pry his way into the donation box,” said Officer Maxwell in the criminal complaint.
