A Port Carbon man spent the weekend in Schuylkill County Prison after police charged him with theft and using a vehicle without permission.
According to an affidavit filed by State Police-Schuylkill Haven, Justin Marx, 34, was living in the basement of a home of a borough woman and her boyfriend. She told police that twice prior, Marx had used a vehicle she had permission to use.
The second time Marx took the vehicle, the woman told police that numerous items of hers from inside were missing. This second alleged unauthorized use of her vehicle happened on Jan. 27.
Late that night, the woman and Marx had gone to another woman’s home in North Manheim Township. While there, the Port Carbon woman noticed that her vehicle was missing. She and the other woman looked around the area, eventually spotting Marx allegedly driving her vehicle in the area of Seven Stars Rd.
The two women followed Marx back to the North Manheim Township home where they’d all previously been. It was at that point when the Port Carbon woman says she noticed numerous items of hers missing. When she questioned Marx about the missing items, Marx reportedly said that he took them to his father’s house in East Norwegian Township.
The next afternoon, the Port Carbon woman got a message on Facebook saying that a cardboard box with a purse in it was found on Mauch Chunk St. in Pottsville. Inside the purse was the Port Carbon woman’s driver’s license. The Port Carbon woman was able to get her purse back but said all the other items that were in that box were missing.
On Jan. 29, the Port Carbon woman and her boyfriend drove by Marx’s father’s property in East Norwegian Township and say they saw some of the missing items there. They also saw some of her items inside Marx’s locked Jeep there. At that point, the woman phone State Police.
Police then contacted Marx’s father and say they got permission to go to his residence and get the Port Carbon woman’s items. They also learned that Marx was at his father’s residence at that time. Marx’s father reportedly told police that he wasn’t sure why his son brought those items there.
Marx reportedly gave police to get the missing items from inside his vehicle. Those items included numerous pieces of clothing, toiletries, make-up, a golf driver, and various other things.
More items were found throughout that East Norwegian Township property, including inside Marx’s father’s home. Some of the items had been damaged. However, more items were still missing, the Port Carbon woman told police.
Marx told police at this time that he had gotten permission from the Port Carbon woman to use her vehicle to move his items. And he removed her items from the vehicle to aid in moving his items. The Port Carbon woman told police that wasn’t true.
On Jan. 30, the Port Carbon woman gave police a more itemized list of items that were still missing. In total, the items that were still missing from her vehicle added up to about $1,175 in value.
Police filed charges against Marx on Friday, charging him with misdemeanor theft, receiving stolen property, and unauthorized use of a vehicle. He was arraigned that afternoon before District Magistrate Judge David Plachko, who set bail at $25,000 and remanded Marx to prison. A preliminary hearing is currently scheduled for Feb. 11.
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