BOSTON, November 9, 2017— A Milton man was arraigned today on charges he stole a $14,000 flute from a building at Boston University, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

NATHANIEL OLIVER (D.O.B. 11/22/48), who is currently of Milton but resided in Mattapan at the time of the theft, today appeared on a summons for arraignment in Brighton Municipal Court on two counts of larceny over $250 and one count of trespassing.  After Oliver walked into court, Judge Myoung Joun released him on his own recognizance.

According to prosecutors, the victim reported to Boston University Police on Aug. 29 that she briefly left a classroom of a Commonwealth Avenue building and returned to find a flute and an iPad missing.  A review of footage captured by cameras inside and outside the building showed that an unknown middle-aged male was the only person in the immediate vicinity of the classroom at the time of the theft.

Information gathered during the course of an investigation suggested that the individual seen in the area at the time of the theft was the same person who identified himself by the name “Nathaniel” during a prior incident on campus.  Police used pawn shop records to identify the individual as Oliver, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors told the court that on Oct. 19, Oliver led investigators to the flute and iPad, which were located in a locked storage room inside the Milton building where he resides.  The items were returned to the victim.

Oliver is represented by Patrick Sheehan.  He returns to court Dec. 8.                                                               

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.