Lincoln man arrested for stealing from 74-year-old while remodeling victim’s home

A Lincoln man is behind bars Thursday after it was discovered he stole a gun, cash, prescription pain killers, jewelry and more from a 74-year-old Lincoln man. 

According to court documents 29-year-old Joseph Oxarart stole the items from a home near 84 & Pine Lake Road. Oxarart’s brother had been hired to make remodel the home and brought Oxarart to help. 

On two occasions Oxarart was left alone at the home. That’s when the victim’s 51-year-old daughter noticed items going missing. 

According to court documents the daughter first noticed a bottle of prescription pain killers was taken from the kitchen counter. It was the same kitchen counter Oxarart was seen working on the night before. Then she realized spare change was taken from containers throughout the house. Then she discovered $3,000 was missing from a cash box. 

Meanwhile, Oxarart’s brother discovered a box in the corner of Oxarart’s closet. According to the documents there was a .22 caliber handgun, checkbooks and mail belonging to the victim in the box. 

The brother took the items back to the daughter and confronted Oxarart about the theft. Oxarart agreed to meet with the daughter and his brother to give the cash and other items back to the victim. 

But before he could do that Oxarart was arrested in a traffic stop. An Lincoln Police Sergeant pulled him over Tuesday night and arrested him on three warrants. 

An officer searched Oxarart’s car and found several two dollar bills, coins in baggies, jewelry and various household items. 

The victim identified all of the items as his own. 

According to the documents, Oxarart told police he stole a tool from the home but somebody else had stolen everything else and given it to him to stay quiet about the crime. He also said he thought the gun was a BB gun, not a real firearm. 

Oxarart faces the following charges: theft by unlawful taking $1,500- 5,000, possession of a stolen firearm and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. 

Police haven’t said yet if any of the items taken were able to be given back to the victim.