WARSAW — A Warsaw man was arrested after stealing a vehicle with his girlfriend from her grandmother.

James Paul Grothaus, 22, 2904 E. Longspur Lane, Warsaw, was booked for probation violation and auto theft, a level 6 felony on Sept. 20.

James Paul Grothaus

On July 28, Grothaus and his girlfriend visited her grandmother in Kosciusko County. Grothaus and his girlfriend left the residence with the grandmother’s vehicle without her consent. The grandmother discovered that the couple had left for Des Moines, Iowa with her vehicle.

The grandmother contacted an officer with the Claypool Police Department on Aug. 1 regarding the theft. The Claypool officer got in contact with an officer from Iowa, who confirmed that the couple had been in Des Moines and had left the girlfriend’s child at a residence.

The Iowa officer located the stolen vehicle, which was occupied by Grothaus. The Iowa officer discovered that the girlfriend had run away from Grothaus earlier in the day.

The officer recovered and impounded the vehicle to be returned to the grandmother.

Grothaus was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail with $10,250 and $5,250 surety and cash bonds.