A 20-year-old unemployed Carson City man faces felony larceny charges after he stole a firearm from a capital city weapons dealer because he "needed money."
Jonathan Crandell Jr. faces a felony charge of larceny of a firearm and carrying a concealed weapon after he and two friends walked into Wilburs Guns and Knives on Goni Road and walked out with the a Sig Arms P232 hand gun, according to the arrest report.
Store owner Donald Jones told deputies that three subjects walked into the store at around 3:30 p.m. on Monday. One of the subjects asked how to operate a shotgun while the other two looked around.
After helping the subject, Jones discovered that his Sig Arms P232 hand cannon was missing from the display case and the two subjects that were looking around were no longer in the store.
Jones went outside and confronted the two subjects while they got into a yellow Sunfire sedan, according to the arrest report.
All of the suspects denied taking the gun. Jones requested they show their identification to him and they provided it. Jones made a copy of their identification and advised them that he would not pursue criminal charges if they gave up the gun. The three denied any wrongdoing and drove away.
Deputies were notified and, through a confidential informant, they were able to locate Crandell Jr., in the neighborhood of Sherman and Poole.
The arresting officer found Crandell Jr. standing near a driveway and immediately detained him. While placing the kid in handcuffs, Crandell Jr., advised the officer that he wanted to speak with him at the back of his vehicle, according to the report.
The arresting officer asked Crandell Jr. if he knew why he was being detained and the kid replied with a shaky voice: "It's in my pocket."
The officer pat-searched Crandell Jr., took the unloaded gun from his left pants pocket and then hauled him to jail.
During the transport Crandell Jr. asked the arresting officer if he could tell the gun store owner that he was sorry. The kid stated to the officer he did it because "I needed money" and that he was "so stupid, I should have returned it when he gave me the chance," according to the arrest report.
The arresting officer never questioned Crandell Jr. about the incident, and the kid made these statements willingly, according to the report.
Crandell Jr., is being held on $27,500 bail and faces a felony larceny charge and a concealed weapon charge. The two other subjects were not arrested.