Recorder leads to Pa. ‘joyboating’ arrest
KITTANNING, Pa. (AP) — Police have charged a western Pennsylvania man with joyriding in three stolen boats after they say they found a judge's stolen cassette recorder in one of the boats — on which the suspect recorded an account of his crimes.
State police say 21-year-old Jesse Shipley, of South Bend, remains in a hospital psychiatric unit. He'll be arraigned on theft and other charges once he's released. Online court records do not list an attorney for Shipley.
Police tell the Leader-Times newspaper that Shipley drove the boats on the Allegheny River on Friday, two days after he allegedly stole the recorder from the office of Kittanning District Judge James Owen, about 35 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.
A fanny pack found on one of the boats contained the recorder, on which police say Shipley recorded his account of the events.