Man Stole Gun Collection from Stepdad’s Ellen Street Home, Police Say

A former Hellertown man has been charged with more than 100 felony counts of theft, receiving stolen property, prohibited possession of firearms, carrying firearms without a license and other charges, and was committed to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $75,000 bail Wednesday, after police said he stole 23 high-powered guns including a Ruger SP101 .357 Magnum stainless steel revolver and a Sig Sauer P220 .45 caliber handgun from his stepfather’s home in the 300 block of Ellen Street in the borough, according to an Express-Times story which cites court records.

According to the article, James M. Boland Jr., 35, allegedly stole a firearms collection valued in the tens of thousands of dollars from his stepfather’s gun safe while he and his girlfriend were living with him and Boland’s mother in the spring, and–according to police–later sold them to heroin dealers in Allentown and Bethlehem. Three of the guns were later recovered by the DEA, the story indicated.