CLARION BOROUGH, Pa. (EYT) — A Clarion woman is facing felony charges after items that were burglarized from an apartment while its tenant was in jail surfaced on East Main Street in Clarion Borough.

Court documents indicate that Clarion Borough Police Department filed criminal charges against 38-year-old Melinda J. Benvie, of Clarion, in Magisterial District Judge Duane L. Quinn’s office on Wednesday, March 1.

According to a criminal complaint, Melinda J. Benvie was arrested on February 28 after Clarion Borough Police served a search warrant on her apartment and discovered the stolen goods.

Two Clarion Borough Police Officers were dispatched on February 21, 2023, around 4:36 p.m., to respond to an East Main Street apartment for a report of a past burglary. Upon arrival on the scene, the officers spoke with a known victim who is a resident of the apartment. A known male was at the residence with her. The known victim advised the officers that her apartment was burglarized while she was incarcerated—sometime between January 3, 2023, and February 21, 2023—and she wanted to file a report, the complaint states.

On February 28 at approximately 1:07 p.m., Clarion Borough Police Chief Bill Peck received a call from the known victim who advised that a known female was currently at East Main Street, and the gray and pink Nike drawstring bag she had on her back was one of the items stolen in the burglary. Two officers responded to East Main Street and took the known woman into custody on an outstanding warrant.

The known victim provided the officers with a detailed list of the items stolen from her apartment, the complaint notes.

The known woman was transported back to the Clarion Borough Police Department. She was read her Miranda Rights at 2:14 p.m. and agreed to speak to a detective about the Nike bag she had in her possession. She advised the detective that Melinda Benvie gave her the drawstring bag and other items, which Benvie told the woman she got at Goodwill, according to the complaint.

The known woman advised the detective of the location of Benvie’s residence.

The detective then went through the itemized list with the known woman:

• Energizer Connect Camera ($30 value)— The known woman denied any knowledge of this item.
• Gray wax warmer ($10 value) — She advised that Benvie has warmers in her apartment.
• Tote of boys kids’ clothing sizes 6-8 ($350 value)— She denied any knowledge of this item.
• Towel ($20 value)— She denied obtaining any towels.
• Black leather coat ($20 value)— She advised she has this item at a known male’s residence, and it was given to her by Benvie.
• Long mirror with gold trim ($15 value)— She advised that Benvie gave her this item, but did not take it with her when she moved out approximately two weeks ago and that it is still located in Benvie’s spare bedroom.
• Red/black Coach purse ($150 value)— She denied any knowledge of this item.
• Gray purse ($30 value)— She advised this item was given to her and this item is also located at the known male’s residence.
• 6 or 7 packs of wax melts ($4-$7 each value)— She advised Benvie has wax melts in her apartment.
• Bottle of E&J Brandy ($25 value)— She denied any knowledge of this item.
• Two gray shelf units ($13 each value)— She advised those items are in Benvie’s apartment.
• 32-inch Sceptre television ($178 value)— She advised that Benvie has three televisions in her apartment.
• Black boots size 8 or 9 with a tie at the top ($20 value)— She advised Benvie gave her these items, and it is located at the known male’s residence.
• Black/white Nike flip-flops ($30 value)— She denied any knowledge of this item.
• Blue/pink/white kids Nike slides ($30 value)— She advised Benvie gave her these items, and they are located at the known male’s residence.
• Cleaning products ($30 value)— She denied any knowledge of this item.
• Hair products ($100 value)— She denied any knowledge of this item.
• 6 laundry baskets white/pink/black/blue ($10 each value)— She advised that Benvie gave her a blue basket, but the rest of the baskets are in Benvie’s apartment.
• Women’s clothing ($200 value)— She advised Benvie gave her women’s clothing and told her she got the items at Goodwill for her.
• 5 craft baskets white/gold, black/white, gray, dark brown ($65 value)— She advised Benvie gave her the white/gold basket, which is located at the known male’s residence and denied any knowledge of the others.
• Numerous blankets including Scooby-Doo & Batman ($100 value)— She denied any knowledge of this item.
• Hair straightener ($70 value)— She denied any knowledge of this item.
• Curling iron ($30 value)— She advised Benvie gave her a curling iron that is located at the known male’s residence.
• Blow dryer ($40 value)— She advised Benvie gave her a blow dryer that is located at the known male’s residence.
• 10 bottles of Bupropion— She denied any knowledge of this item.
• Make-up ($150 value)— She denied any knowledge of this item.
• Misc. food ($75 value)— She denied any knowledge of this item.
• Calligraphy art items ($200 value)— She advised Benvie gave her these items, and they are located at the known male’s residence.
• Round mirror ($9.99 value)— She denied any knowledge of this item.
• Old fashioned touch lamp with shade missing ($50 value)— She advised that this item is located in Benvie’s spare bedroom.
• Gray and pink Nike drawstring bag ($40 value)— She advised that Benvie gave her this item (found on her person).
• Black/white/gold Nike kids’ sneakers ($89 value)— She advised Benvie gave her this item, and it is located at the known male’s residence.
• Baby outfit with skulls ($3 value)— She denied any knowledge of this item.
• Brown teddy bear with binky ($7 value)— She denied any knowledge of this item.

The complaint states that on February 28 at approximately 2:58 p.m., two officers and the detective responded to Benvie’s residence. The detective introduced the officers to Benvie and advised her why they were at her residence. Benvie advised that there were no stolen items in her residence.

The detective asked her specifically about the items the known woman told him that were in her (Benvie’s) apartment. Benvie denied any of the items being in the apartment. The detective asked if she minded showing him, the complaint notes.

Benvie responded to the detective, “You can look real quick, come in,” the complaint continues.

The detective requested Benvie to give him written consent, and she advised that she wasn’t putting it in writing. Benvie again said, “Come in.” Benvie walked officers back to her spare bedroom, according to the complaint.

Inside, the officers observed the long mirror with gold trim, the touch lamp without a shade, and children’s clothing in the right-hand corner of the spare bedroom.

The officers asked Benvie about those items. She advised that those were her items and were not stolen, according to the complaint.

According to the complaint, the detective asked Benvie how the victim would be able to exactly describe the items. Benvie did not have an answer. The detective asked Benvie for permission to look through the rest of the apartment for the other items on the list, and Benvie told him that he did not have permission.

The detective then directed Benvie out into the hallway to secure the residence and advised her that he would apply for a search warrant, the complaint states.

On February 28 at 5:00 p.m., Clarion County District Magisterial Judge Timothy Schill approved the warrant for Benvie’s residence.

The detective and the officers served the search warrant on Benvie’s residence at 5:12 p.m. the same day.

Located inside Benvie’s apartment were five bottles of Topiramate ($1,299.95) with the victim’s name on the label, the touch lamp ($50), a tote of children’s clothing ($350), the long mirror with gold trim ($15), hair supplies ($100), two laundry baskets ($20), a basket of blankets ($100), a round mirror ($9.99), and make-up ($150), the complaint indicates.

All of the aforementioned items were seized for evidence. The detective contacted a Clarion pharmacy and spoke with the pharmacist, who related that the five bottles of Topirimate were valued at $259.99 per bottle, the complaint notes.

According to the complaint, the victim then came to the Clarion Borough Police Department and advised all of the items seized belonged to her.

Benvie was arraigned at 9:00 p.m. in front of Magisterial District Judge Timothy P. Schill on the following charge:

– Receiving Stolen Property, Felony 3

Unable to post a $50,000 monetary bail, she was lodged in the Clarion County Jail.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 14 at 2:30 p.m. with Judge Quinn presiding.