Police say car stolen by man just out of jail

BELLEFONTE — A Philipsburg man in jail for allegedly slashing a district judge’s tires got out of the Centre County Correctional Facility on Wednesday, walked across the street and boosted a car from Bellefonte Lanes, according to police.
Shawn Allen Linberg, 18, who was in jail for allegedly slashing the tires of a car belonging to magisterial district judge, was arrested by state police in Philipsburg and arraigned Friday on theft and receiving stolen property charges.
Linberg was sent back to the Centre County jail on $50,000 straight bail set by District Judge Daniel Hoffman.
“The man can’t wait an hour before he is alleged to have violated the law again,” said Centre County District Attorney Michael Madeira.
Not long after the 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass was stolen from the Bellefonte Lanes bowling alley Thursday morning, police suspected Linberg was the culprit based on witness interviews, according to the criminal complaint.
At about 1:30 Thursday afternoon, a duty police communications officer with the Philipsburg barracks spotted the car along Ninth Street in Philipsburg and called his barracks, police said. As troopers were arriving, Linberg returned to the car and was arrested as he tried to get back inside, police said.
Linberg admitted to stealing the car after getting out of jail Thursday, police said.
Linberg was in jail on charges including retaliation against a prosecutor or judicial official and criminal mischief for allegedly slashing all four tires on a vehicle belonging to District Judge Allen Sinclair on April 25. The judge told police he suspected Linberg and another 18-year-old, Thomas M. Moore II, with inflicting the damage to his vehicle after he recently dealt with the pair in his courtroom. Moore also is facing charges in the incident.
Linberg later told police he slashed the tires because he “did not like” the judge, according to court documents.
Even though Linberg again is in jail, Madeira said his office likely will seek to revoke his bail on the first case to make sure he stays there as the cases go through the courts.
Police said Linberg also was driving the stolen car without a valid driver’s license.