CLEARFIELD – A Westover man who has been accused of a burglary and a theft had all charges held for court in two, different cases during Centralized Court on Wednesday at the Clearfield County Jail.
Michael Joseph Wholaver Jr., 26, of Westover has been charged with burglary, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property and possession of a firearm prohibited. In another case, he’s been charged with theft by unlawful taking and criminal mischief.
According to the affidavit of probable cause in the first case, sometime between Sept. 13 and Sept. 27 of 2013, Wholaver allegedly entered a Michaels Street residence in Westover Borough. No one was at home when he entered the residence.
Once inside he allegedly removed a Heritage Rough Rider .22-caliber revolver; 50 American Eagle Silver Dollar silver bullion coins; loose change from a jar; and medication, including a generic Sudafed and approximately 100 Xanax tablets. The value of these stolen items was $3,577.50.
Wholaver lives in the residence next to the victim. At the time of the alleged burglary, he was seen by at least two, different acquaintances with the stolen items. Wholaver admitted to them that he took the items from his neighbor’s residence.
Wholaver, according to the affidavit, approached the victim and asked them not to pursue charges if he returned the stolen items.
In 2007, Wholaver was convicted of both burglary and criminal trespass, which prohibited him from possessing, using, controlling, selling, transferring or manufacturing a firearm.
In the second case, on Oct. 3, 2013, state police received a report from a witness on Michaels Street who observed Wholaver under the carport of a residence. The witness observed Wholaver open a storage container on the front porch and carry away numerous items, including an extension cord.
Shortly after that, the witness observed Wholaver starting a fire in a pit in his (Wholaver’s) backyard. The witness also observed Wholaver putting the extension cord onto the fire. Upon arrival to the scene, state police observed a fire within a pit in Wholaver’s backyard.
State police attempted to make contact with Wholaver at his residence. However, Wholaver didn’t answer his door. State police proceeded to take pictures to document the scene, including the burning extension cord in Wholaver’s fire pit.
Afterward state police contacted the victim who related Wholaver didn’t have permission to take items from her property or to burn anything. The victim reported that among her missing items were two extension cords and a spool of 100 feet of insulated indoor wiring, with an estimated value of $40.