An Altoona man stole more than $275,000 in items from a Logan Township pet store between April 2005 and August, township police said Tuesday.
The plot unraveled when an assistant store manager caught George E. Peznola with dog food and a dog collar concealed under gravel in kitty litter buckets Aug. 8, a criminal complaint filed by Detective Sgt. David Hoover stated.
The theft case is the largest Chief Ron Heller says he can remember during his 34 years in the Logan department.
Peznola, 40, of 1404 First Ave., was the receiving manager at SuperPetz in the Park Hills Plaza. He doesn't have a listed telephone number and couldn't be reached for comment Tuesday. A message left with a SuperPetz spokesman wasn't returned Tuesday.
Peznola's preliminary hearing is scheduled for Thursday before Magisterial District Judge Steven D. Jackson.
Peznola admitted to stealing the items and reselling them on eBay as a way to stem personal financial problems, police said. When he got caught up with the bills, Peznola's wife, who wasn't aware the items were stolen, thought it was a good way to make extra cash and said they should continue selling them for extra cash, police said.
"He stated they were making extra money and he just could not tell her the truth, so it continued until he got caught," Hoover wrote in his complaint.
After getting caught, Peznola was ordered to turn over his keys to the store and any merchandise he had at home. He complied and also offered to make $30,000 restitution, which he never did, police said.
State police at Hollidaysburg assisted with the investigation.
Trooper Kevin Garhart, a computer fraud investigator, was able to get a court order and obtain information about the eBay account Peznola used.
"They have more access, especially in investigating Internet crimes, through the programs they have than we do," Heller said.
The help is offered to any department that requests it, Troop G spokesman Trooper Jeff Petucci said.
Peznola is charged with theft by unlawful taking or disposition and receiving stolen property, both felonies. He is free on $25,000 unsecured bail.
Mirror Staff Writer Mark Leberfinger is at 946-7462.
