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City man allegedly stole seven guns from units

Roland also awaiting trial for skill games theft charges

An Altoona man awaiting trial on charges he stole money from a city restaurant’s skill games is now charged with the theft of seven guns.

Joshua W. Roland, 29, was arraigned Monday on multiple felony burglary and theft-related counts stemming from a state police investigation into the break-in of three self-storage units in Snyder Township where $10,083 worth of belongings, including seven guns, were stolen.

According to charges filed by state police, Roland and an accomplice stole the guns along with glassware, appliances, clothing, power tools and other items sometime between June 30 and July 2.

Roland was arrested by state police on July 2 on an Altoona police arrest warrant related to the theft of $1,295 in cash from the Pennsylvania skill games at Nicoletta’s Restaurant, 1700 Eighth Ave.

State police were able to tie Roland to the storage unit burglaries in Snyder Township through his phone, which was seized by Hollidaysburg Borough police at the Blair County Prison on July 11 after police intercepted one of Roland’s letters at the jail.

Police said information found on that cellphone and another phone that belonged to Roland contained photos of items stolen from the storage units. State police also combed through some 13,000 Facebook messages between Roland and his alleged accomplice that seemed to the pair to the burglaries. The messages also contained photos of the guns and discussions on their value and how much they could get when they sold them, state police noted.

In all, four shotguns and three rifles worth $2,100 were stolen.

Roland has remains in Blair County Prison in lieu of $20,000 cash bond since his July 2 arrest. State police have also filed charges in connection with an alleged incident that occurred at DelGrosso’s Park the day he was arrested.

State police were dispatched to DelGrosso’s Park on July 2 about 12:45 p.m. after Roland allegedly tried to pass a counterfeit $100 bill. According to the charges, Roland had tried to use a bogus $100 at a midway game that cost $1. Responding state police learned he was wanted on the Altoona warrant, and when he was arrested, 121 keys were found in his backpack, along with hypodermic needles, according to the charges.

Those keys also tied Roland to a burglary in Tyrone Borough and some of the stolen keys had been taken from a Tyrone apartment complex.

Magisterial District Judge Fred Miller set bail on Monday at $35,000 cash for the Snyder Township storage unit burglary case involving the guns, and he set the bail for the counterfeit $100 bill case at DelGrosso’s Park at $10,000 cash. Roland remains in Blair County Prison and is scheduled to appear in Tyrone District Court on Dec. 31 for preliminary hearings on the two cases.

Mirror Staff Writer Greg Bock is at 946-7458.

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