Police in Auburn, Ala., have arrested James M. Jones, 31, of Cusseta, Ala., and charged him with theft of property 2nd degree and false reporting to law enforcement.

His arrest stems from the investigation of a police report filed Sept. 24 in which the victim reported the theft of a pistol from his vehicle while it was being serviced at an Auburn business.

Jones, an employee of the business at the time, filed a similar type theft report on the same day, police say, in an attempt to deflect police suspicion. The stolen pistol has been recovered.

Jones was taken to the Lee County Detention Center.