Coventry Police Recover Cranston Mayor Fung's Stolen Coins

COVENTRY, RI — The story started last month with a report about a woman screaming in a Woodland Drive apartment. Police responded and arrested a man with a sawed off shotgun. But there was more to the story. Today, Coventry police announced they recovered a stolen Chinese coin collection in that apartments. The coins belong to Cranston Mayor Allan Fung. They were stolen from his car in 2011.

Robert Hunt, 48, of Coventry, is being charged with Receiving stolen goods in connection with the mayor's coins. Hunt was arrested on March 25 and charged with Possession of a Sawed Off Shotgun,
Possession of Firearms by a Convict in a Crime of Violence, and Possession of Heroin and
Cocaine. He is being held at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston.

Hunt told police he bought the coins at a yard sale. Officers say they found the coins after a search of Hunt's apartment where detectives allege they also found heroin, cocaine, scales, drug paraphernalia, and ammunition.

With the coin collection, detectives found a note saying the coins had been “Presented by the Glen
Woods Cranston Crime Prevention + Improvement Association to Mayor Allan Fung on June
24, 2010.”

Detectives contacted Mayor Fung, who "recalled being a victim of a car break-in during January 2011." He reported the crime to Cranston police.

"The Mayor believes the coins were stolen from his vehicle during this break-in, and indicated that he wished to press charges for the theft," Coventry police said.

Hunt could not be specific about the yard sale police said when they quizzed him.