Arrests May Crack Rash of Thefts
Three adults and a juvenile were arrested early this morning in Syracuse after allegedly stealing from a vehicle overnight. Police are investigating to see if the foursome could be responsible for a rash of similar incidents around area lakes.
Brandon Parker Lajoice, 18, 305 N. Syracuse-Webster Road, North Webster; Jacob Bonds Honea, 18, 4535 N. SR 13, Leesburg; and Brice Islas, 18, 8842 E. 500 N., North Webster, were all arrested by a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department deputy near Medusa and Huntington streets in Syracuse.
Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to 8147 E. Backwater Road, North Webster, at 4:14 a.m. after a citizen called to report his vehicle had been broken into. As deputies were headed toward North Webster, the victim stated that he noticed four male individuals walking along SR 13 north of town.
A short time later, Syracuse police officer Ben Hochstetler located the four males near the intersection of Huntington Street and Medusa Street on the south side of Syracuse.
Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Sheriff Brandon Hepler located a bag on one of the subjects that contained items that had been described by the victim as stolen. All four subjects denied any knowledge of the items or the theft.
The fourth male involved was a juvenile who was released to his parents. Paperwork is also being forwarded to the Kosciusko County Probation and Prosecutor’s Office on the incident.
Bond for each of the adult male suspects was set at $2,000 by the Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office. Kosciusko County Sheriff’s detectives are currently investigation if the four individuals have any connection with the recent rash of thefts from vehicles that has occurred in the lake regions of northern Kosciusko County this summer.