All firefighter equipment has been recovered and a suspect is in custody a week after a burglary at an auxiliary Coolspring Township Volunteer Fire Department building.
Many vital firefighter tools and medical equipment were taken when Coolspring Township Volunteer Fire Station 2 was burglarized between June 20-29 at the station on Shebel Road near CR 100 N. The fire station is not manned at all times and is in a remote location. Entry was made by forcing a service door open.
Now recovered are all items taken: an Automatic Emergency Defibrillator, airway medical bag, Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus and three portable radios, among other fire service tools. The fire department had estimated the value of the items at approximately $14,000.
The LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office reported that the break in the case came after a man wearing fire gear burglarized a New Carlisle metal recycling business on Monday, July 6. New Carlisle Marshal Jeff Roseboom, who was familiar with the Coolspring Fire Department burglary, alerted detectives from the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office. Following an interview with the suspect, investigators obtained a search warrant and found the rest of the stolen items in the suspect’s mobile home in the Green Acres Mobile Home Park in Michigan City.
Police are not releasing the suspect’s name pending official charges. A sheriff’s office press release did state that LaPorte County law enforcement “is familiar with” the man. He was being held in St. Joseph County Jail.
“As we’ve shown in the recent past, the more we continue to work together, the quicker we are solving crimes,” Sheriff John Boyd said in the release. “I commend the fast action of the authorities in St. Joseph County, which was the major factor in breaking open the case involving Coolspring Township’s burglary. This is yet another example of not only a great collaboration with our neighboring departments, it is also an example of the success we expect with the increased level of communication between agencies.”
Detectives met with Coolspring Township Fire Chief Mick Pawlik and other firefighters at their station Monday afternoon. The equipment was returned to the firefighters and quickly put back in service.