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By Edward Lewis elewis@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
Edward Lewis on Facebook   |   @TLEdLewis on Twitter

PLAINS TWP. – A male intruder slept in the attic of a township home by wrapping himself with blankets and insulation, and stealing food and clothing when the homeowner and her family were away, township police said.

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Carter

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Police said Stanley Carter, 21, of Arkansas, surrendered after he heard a police canine inside Stacey Ferrance’s home on Wyoming Street Friday afternoon.

“When he came down from the attic, he was wearing my daughter’s pants and my sweatshirt and sneakers,” Ferrance said. “It’s not something I would expect, someone living in my attic. It’s disturbing.”

Carter was charged with several counts of burglary, theft, receiving stolen property and criminal trespass. He was arraigned Friday night by District Judge Gerald Feissner in Freeland and remained jailed Saturday at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $25,000 bail.

“It appears he was staying in the attic for a few days,” Sgt. Ron Dombroski said. “He was stealing items from the home and taking it all in the attic. It’s a double block home with a shared attic.”

Dombroski said Carter formerly stayed with Ferrance’s neighbors.

Ferrance believed her neighbors reported Carter missing on Dec. 19.

She didn’t know Carter was staying in her attic, and dismissed noises thinking they were caused by her three children.

“From what I gather, he was helping himself to my home, eating my food and stealing my clothes,” Ferrance said. “He had free reign on my home when I was at work.”

Ferrance said she suspected something was wrong when she noticed her laptop computer and iPod were missing on Christmas. She filed a police report, and her family left the home to visit family Christmas night.

“When we got home around 11 p.m. on Christmas, the charger for the iPod was missing and my back door was wide open,” Ferrance said.

Ferrance said she stayed at her mother’s residence with her children Christmas night, and her fianc�, Scott Martin, stayed behind. Martin was shopping on Friday to buy new locks for Ferrance’s doors.

Ferrance said her father, Robert Ferrance, suggested she check the door to the attic, which is in Ferrance’s bedroom closet. That’s when Ferrance discovered foot prints on the wall going up to the attic, she said.

“I immediately phoned police,” Ferrance said.

Ferrance said police searched her neighbor’s residence and discovered that the door to the attic wouldn’t open. While they were checking Ferrance’s attic door, they heard footsteps and the door was pushed closed, indicating someone was in the attic.

Swoyersville police canine Gas assisted in searching Ferrance’s home.

“Police were yelling up there but they weren’t getting a response,” Ferrance said. “They called the canine in and when he heard the canine barking, that’s when he surrendered.”

Ferrance said Martin went up to the attic and found the laptop computer, iPod, food and blankets.

“He had everything up there,” she said. “He had candles, food; he wrapped himself in blankets and insulation to sleep.” Dombroski said a preliminary hearing is scheduled on Jan. 5 in Central Court.