When a man accused of stealing items from a gas station was arrested and appeared in court for his initial hearing, he admitted his guilt and was convicted and sentenced.

Christopher Allan Corns, 40, Linton, was arrested by Officer Janzen Franklin of the Linton Police Department. He was booked into the Greene County Jail at 12:02 AM on Friday, August 5, following incidents that occurred on Thursday, August 4.

When Officer Franklin was dispatched to Kang’s Petro Plus gas station in Linton about thefts, he talked to an employee who said a man and a woman had come into the store twice that day and taken something both times without paying for them. She showed the officer two surveillance videos and Officer Franklin recognized the man to be Christopher Corns.

Officer Franklin went looking for Corns but was unable to locate him. Then Corns went back to the gas station and allegedly attempted to steal something else but the clerk saw the items sticking out of his pocket and told him to take them out and he did.

Four officers then went looking for Corns and they found the woman standing outside her residence at a downtown apartment building. She said she didn't know Corns had taken anything from the gas station, she didn't know where he was but she was locked out of her apartment. Officers left the scene but continued looking and later found Corns and the woman outside the apartment building.

Corns allegedly said that he was drunk and he does stupid shit when he drinks and doesn't think about it but apparently he stole some stuff. He said he didn't remember going into the gas station and he doesn't remember taking the items but that the items were in the apartment.

Officer Franklin reported that when he reviewed the security footage, it showed that Corns stole a package of Derall Boost pills. The second video shows he possibly put the boost pills back but then grabbed a small red box and placed the box in his pocket. The third time he was in the store he started taking vapes and placing them in his pockets then when the clerk asked him to put them back, he took the vapes out of his pocket.

Corns was taken into custody and booked in with bond set at $1000 surety with 10% cash allowed.

When Corns appeared for his initial hearing via two way video between the jail and the courtroom, Corns said he wanted to admit guilt without a plea agreement. The initial hearing then turned into a change of plea hearing and a sentencing hearing.

Corns was convicted of theft, a Class A misdemeanor, and was sentenced to one year in the county jail. He was given credit for six days already served and 353 days were suspended.