From staff reports
Oil City police have charged a fourth person in connection with the reported theft of $50,000 in jewelry from an Oil City residence and the sale of the jewelry.
Thomas J. Goodrich, 34, of Oil City, was identified Friday by police as the fourth suspect in the case.
The three others are Rachel Heath, 30, of Rouseville, who worked as a cleaner at the West Second Street residence where the jewelry was allegedly taken; and Robert Piercy, 49, and Diana Barclay, 50, co-owners of The Attic antique store on East Second Street in Oil City.
Police took Heath into custody Wednesday, and she admitted to the theft and sale of the jewelry, police said. She also admitted providing a gold diamond ring to Goodrich and that he knew the item was stolen, police said.
Police said they contacted Goodrich at his residence, and he admitted accepting the ring from Heath. Goodrich then gave the ring to a woman, police said, and officers went to that woman’s residence and got the ring back, police said.
Goodrich was taken into custody by the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole and charged with misdemeanor counts of receiving stolen property and conspiracy to receive stolen property, police said.
He was arraigned Thursday before district judge Andrew Fish, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled Wednesday in Venango County Central Court.
He is being held at the Venango County jail in lieu of $25,000 bail.
Police had said on Thursday that they arrested Piercy and Barclay after they determined the two had bought multiple pieces of the stolen jewelry at The Attic. Police also said Piercy and Barclay failed to report pieces of the jewelry that were purchased and sent to another jewelry store in Erie for personal alterations.
The jewelry that was sent to Erie was not reported to police as being purchased after officers advised both Piercy and Barclay that the items were stolen and provided them with the description and photos of the stolen jewelry, police said.
