Pennsylvania man headed to jail after lifting NASCAR, Star Wars items

Some folks just can’t let go when it comes to NASCAR die-cast model cars – and Star Wars memorabilia.

According to The Progress (Pa.) newspaper, Joseph Sabatose, 52, of Treasure Lake, Pennsylvania was sentenced to serve 90 days in a Clearfield County jail after breaking into a woman’s home and taking two NASCAR die-casts, two Star Wars “models” and some rosaries.

The two apparently had a previous relationship, but the woman said she broke that off with Sabatose in 2009.

Sabatose pleaded guilty to criminal trespass-break into structure, a felony of the second degree. In addition to the jail sentence, Sabatose was given two years of probation, fined $300, and ordered to pay $224.84 in restitution to the victim.

On the night of the break-in, the woman noticed something was amiss upon re-entering her home after being out – and eventually came to the conclusion that Sabatose couldn’t do without the NASCAR die-casts and the Star Wars models.

After she confronted him and told him to meet her at the police station with the stolen items, Sabatose admitted his guilt. He later arrived at the police station with a box containing two Star Wars models and two NASCAR die-cast cars. All four were “old vintage models that were still in their plastic wrappers,” according to the newspaper’s published report. Sabatose also had a small box containing the rosaries that he said were his grandfather’s.

We pray that it works out for all parties involved. The victim did eventually say that the NASCAR-related items were Sabatose’s in the first place – but while you have to admire his determination in getting them back, he obviously went about it the wrong way.