PLATTSBURGH -- Two people were arrested in connection with the theft of hundreds of dollars in donations for a local cancer patient.

Joseph M. Rushlow, 27, of 60 Shepard Ave., Plattsburgh, and Virginia L. Kohler, 27, of 493 Soucy Road, Saranac, were arrested without incident by State Police with assistance from Plattsburgh City Police at about 12:30 p.m. Sunday at the home of a friend on Underwood Avenue. They are alleged to have stolen four donation jars from four Kinney Drugs stores in Plattsburgh.

The donations were being collected for Brian Mehan, a Plattsburgh State University student and member of the baseball team, to help pay for a stem-cell transplant he needs in his fight with cancer.

The two became suspects after they were seen on surveillance videos from each of the four stores. Police reported they received an anonymous tip as to the suspects' identities, and followed leads to the arrest.

Rushlow is charged with four counts of petit larceny, and Kohler is charged with three counts of petit larceny, criminal possession of a controlled substance and possession of a hypodermic instrument. All charges are misdemeanors.

Rushlow and Kohler were arraigned before Town of Plattsburgh Justice Kevin Patnode and remanded to Clinton County Jail in lieu of $5,000 bail. The pair are due in Plattsburgh City Court at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 22 and in Plattsburgh Town Court at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 24.

Police did not say what type of narcotic was involved, but did say the needle has been sent to the crime lab.

Police estimated each collection jar contained about $100. The first alleged theft took place on Dec. 10 at the Boynton Avenue store in the city. That was followed by alleged thefts at stores at P&C Plaza, New York Road and Military Turnpike, one each day following the first theft.

Mehan's aunt, Carinne Giambruno, who is also a clerk at the Military Turnpike store, arranged the donation jars to help her nephew pay medical bills and travel expenses. The Dannemora Fire Department served as a sponsor and placed the money collected in a Dannemora Federal Credit Union account.

Mehan was originally diagnosed with germ-cell testicular cancer in April. He was told six months ago that he was cancer free.

Then, in October, Mehan was told he'd had a relapse. The cancer had spread to his liver and bones.

Mehan is headed back to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in New Hampshire this week to allow doctors to extract more stem cells in preparation for a transplant.

dheath@pressrepublican.com