A New Bedford man faces felony weapons and theft charges after police stopped him on Old County Road early Monday morning, March 17.

Police had been called to an alarm at Westport Middle High School at 4:16 a.m. and had just cleared the scene when officers Christopher Rosa and Nicholas Frustaci saw Nathan Santana, 21, of 91 Willis St., of New Bedford, walking west on Old County amidst heavy rain.

Santana told officers he’d been walking and running with a friend, but had taken a wrong turn and was lost. As they spoke to him, officers noticed that he was scratched and bloody, and that he was wearing a small pink wristlet he said was his girlfriend’s wallet. Officers were suspicious and, noticing a bulge in his clothing that appeared to be a firearm, investigated and found a loaded black semi-automatic handgun.

After checking and learning that Santa did not have the proper paperwork for the weapon, police charged Santana with possession of a large capacity firearm without a firearms identification (FID) card, unlicensed possession of ammunition, carrying a firearm without a license, possession of a large capacity feeding device, and receiving stolen property.

Police contacted the owner of the wristlet/wallet, who said she was unaware it had been stolen.