OIL CITY, Pa. (EYT) — A Franklin man is facing charges after he allegedly confessed to theft from a vehicle in Oil City.

Court documents indicate the Oil City Police Department filed criminal charges against 46-year-old Thomas David Linch, of Franklin.

According to a criminal complaint, on August 31, Sr. Patrolman Ruditis, of the Oil City Police Department, was dispatched to a parking area on East First Street in Oil City for a report of a theft from a motor vehicle.

Patrolman Ruditis made contact with the victim and was directed to a gray Dodge Caravan.

According to the complaint, the victim reported the vehicle had been entered and items had been removed.

The complaint states that through investigation, it was discovered a wallet containing multiple bank and/or credit cards, a cell phone, and a set of keys were removed from the vehicle.

Officers then canvassed the area in an attempted to locate any individuals involved.

On September 3, Patrolman Ruditis was contacted by the Oil City Police Department to conduct a transport of Thomas Linch, who had traveled to Erie and had then turned himself in to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

According to the complaint, after being provided with his Miranda Warnings, Linch spoke to Patrolman Ruditis and Ptlm. McDevitt regarding multiple incidents in or around the Oil City and Venango County areas.

Linch allegedly admitted to having possessed items which were removed from the Dodge Caravan and provided locations where he placed the wallet and also admitted to using at least one of the credit and/or debit cards contained in the victim’s wallet.

Linch was arraigned in front of Magisterial District Judge Andrew F. Fish at 11:58 a.m. on Tuesday, September 10, on the following charges:

– Theft From A Motor Vehicle, Misdemeanor 1
– Theft By Unlawful Taking-Movable Property, Misdemeanor 1
– Access Device Used To Obtain or Attempt to Obtain Property/Service, Misdemeanor 2

Unable to post $15,000.00 monetary bail, he was lodged in the Venango County Jail.

A preliminary hearing is set for Wednesday, September 18, with Judge Fish presiding.