Man allegedly stole pot from police

• Tweet

CHARLEROI, Pa., Aug. 15 (UPI) -- Police in Pennsylvania said they arrested a man accused of stealing a bag of marijuana that had been seized as evidence by officers.

Charleroi police said David Allan Thompson, 27, arrived at the police station around 8 p.m. Saturday and spoke with Officer David Kimball about a matter that was not disclosed by police, the Washington (Pa.) Observer-Reporter reported Wednesday.

Kimball said he left the interview to retrieve his cellphone from the patrol room and soon realized Thompson had followed him. Kimball escorted Thompson out of the patrol room and finished speaking with him before the man left the station.

Kimball said he then returned to the patrol room and discovered a bag of marijuana he had seized in a separate case was missing. He said he soon determined the bag had not been taken by any other officers and he and a colleague left the station to find Thompson.

The officer's report said he found Thompson walking outside the station and the man surrendered the bag of marijuana when he was confronted.

"I just couldn't help myself. That bud smelled so good," the report quotes Thompson as saying.

Thompson was charged with theft, receiving stolen property, tampering with or fabricating evidence, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was released on his own recognizance and is due back in court Aug. 23.