Upper Gwynedd Police. Photo by James Short.
Thomas Farnan told authorites he had permission to use the car from his sister.
A Monroe County man has been charged with felony receiving stolen property for allegedly driving a stolen unregistered Subaru Legacy sedan that ran out of gas in Upper Gwynedd, after which he called police for help.
Thomas Joseph Farnan, 42, of the 18th block of Oak Street, Mount Pocono, has also been charged with misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and driving an unregistered vehicle, according to charging documents.
At 1:36 p.m. Jan. 6, police were called to Sumneytown Pike at Wheatley Walk for assistance with a driver whose car ran out of gas, per the criminal complaint. Upon arrival, police found a white Subaru Legacy sedan with Pennsylvania registration on the side of the road.
Farnan gave police his driver’s license number, but did not have his physical license on him, police said. He told police the car is his sister’s and he borrowed it the day prior, per the complaint. Farnan told authorities that the gas gauge is broken and although showed a quarter-tank of gas, it had run dry, police said.
Police gave Farnan directions to a gas station, as he had a gas can in his rear seat and told police he would walk for gas, according to investigators.
When police stepped away from Farnan, Montgomery County radio dispatch informed police that the Subaru was reported stolen to Mount Pocono Regional Police on Jan. 5, according to the complaint. Furthermore, Farnan was wanted for felony theft related to the vehicle in his possession, police said.
The registration on the car was “dead” and was unregistered, per the report. Farnan, who had not left to get gas yet, was detained at 1:46 p.m.
The victim told police that Farnan was allegedly captured on surveillance camera illegally entering and driving off with the car.
During a search, dozens of used and empty illicit drug packaging containers were found on Farnan, including small clear plastic baggies, plastic flip-top containers, and wax papers stamped “Chucky” with an image of the horror movie icon, with most containing a white powdery substance, police said.
A glass pipe with burnt residue was also found on Farnan, police said.
Farnan is free on $5,000 unsecured bail and has a preliminary hearing on Jan. 16 at 10 a.m. before Magisterial District Judge Michael P. Quinn.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
