Man faces charges after allegedly stealing grandmother's pills

SHEBOYGAN (WITI) -- A 23-year-old Sheboygan man faces charges in connection with the alleged theft of his grandmother's pills.

Scott Popovich

23-year-old Scott Popovich faces one count of attempted misdemeanor theft (repeater), seven counts of misdemeanor theft (repeater), possession of a controlled substance (repeater), entry into a locked vehicle (repeater), criminal damage to property (repeater) -- 11 counts in total.

According to a criminal complaint in the case, Sheboygan police officers were dispatched to a home in the 3600 block of South 17th Place for a report of a man attempting to steal his grandmother's medication while she slept.

According to the complaint, officials spoke with Popovich, who said "his grandmother is crazy, and is claiming he stole pills again -- just like she always claims he does" -- saying his grandmother loses his pills.

The complaint says Popovich told officers he had entered his grandmothers room early in the morning on December 28th -- looking for fruit punch.

Popovich told officials his grandmother is "weird, and hoards food and beverages in her bedroom," according to the complaint.

Officers told Popovich they found it weird that he needed to enter his grandmother's bedroom at 3:00 a.m. for some fruit punch, according to the complaint.

Popovich told officials he has a history of stealing his grandmother's pills, and also said he is a pill abuser and was sober from pills for about three days -- according to the complaint.

The complaint says Popovich told an officer he went into his grandmother's room for the fruit punch, but had an uncontrollable urge to want to take pills -- however, Popovich told officials he didn't take anything.

Officers spoke with Popovich's grandmother, who said Popovich lives with her because "he has nowhere else to go." Popovich's grandmother told officials Popovich has a long history of pill abuse, and a long history of taking her pills, according to the complaint.

The complaint says Popovich's grandmother said she was in fear of her grandson taking her pills, saying she would sleep with a jacket on, and her pills in the jacket pocket in the hopes she would wake up if he attempted to take any pills.

The complaint says Popovich's grandmother told officials she woke up that night and saw her grandson with a bag of pills in his hand.

The complaint says Popovich was further interviewed at the police station, where he told the same story about going after the fruit punch. Popovich told officials he noticed a pill bag hanging out of his grandmother's pocket, and felt an uncontrollable urge to steal the bag. Popovich told officials he feels like he is compelled to steal when an opportunity shows itself, according to the complaint.

The complaint says Popovich told officials he isn't sure why he took the pills -- saying he just wanted the rush of the theft.

When doing a search of Popovich's bedroom, officials located items stolen from vehicles near Popovich's residence, including a GPS, an iPod Nano, a checkbook, identifiers belonging to an Eric Wilson, a Hallmark and Blockbuster card for Dorinda Koch, medical papers and items that would normally be in a purse belonging to Mary Miller, a Nine West purse with a gold emblem on the front, according to the complaint.

The complaint says all of the times found in Popovich's bedroom belonged to individuals that had reported thefts in recent weeks.

The complaint says officials also found a testosterone injection that was by prescription only -- and say Popovich did not have a prescription.