Portsmouth man faces pot charge after reporting theft

PORTSMOUTH, R.I. -- Something seemed suspicious, then ridiculous.
Two young men were seen carrying a safe. They took it out of a house, down a driveway and into a car.
This was at 2:40 p.m. Thursday on Martens Road, just before a resident on the street decided he had seen enough, and called the police.
Officers spotted the car and pulled it over on East Main Road near the intersection of Sandy Point Avenue.
"In the back of the vehicle was a safe," said Lt. Brian Peters of the Portsmouth Police Department.
The two men, both 19, were brought to the police station for questioning. And while they were being questioned, the police received a call from a man reporting his safe was stolen.
Come on down, the police said.
So, Sean Riley, 45, of 33 Martens Road got in his car and drove to the police station to retrieve his safe.
The police were able to open the safe with Riley's assistance.
"He gave us the code," Peters said. "He wanted to prove it was his safe."
"When the officers opened it up, they got quite a surprise," Peters said.
The safe contained more than $5,000 and about two pounds of marijuana, according to Peters.
This discovery fascinated the officers, who wondered what else Riley might possess. So they went to his house.
"We found 14 marijuana plants growing in a shed at the rear of his property," Peters said. "And we found additional marijuana inside the home."
Riley was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to deliver.
The two burglary suspects were arrested, too.
David Nicholson of 602 Black Point Lane, Portsmouth, and Ryan Souza of 24 Eric Court, Portsmouth, were both charged with breaking and entering and larceny over $500. In addition, both were charged with possession of marijuana.
No, the marijuana possession charge has nothing to do with the marijuana that was in the safe in the back of the car.
"When they were stopped, they were found to have marijuana under their seat," Peters said.