Steven A. Waid Jr.

WARSAW — Steve A. Waid Jr., 41, 6687 E. Old Road 30, Pierceton, has been charged with two counts of burglary, one a level 4 felony, the other a level 5 felony; two counts of auto theft, both level 6 felonies; and resisting law enforcement, a level 6 felony.

He was arrested by police Wednesday morning, Aug. 16, following a pursuit which ended in crash in the Hodges addition.

Additionally he is being held on warrants from Whitley and Kosciusko counties.

The affidavit of probable cause on the current charges indicate on Aug. 11, the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department responded to a burglary and auto theft at the residence of Matthew Campbell.

Campbell reported his 2015 Ford Explorer missing from the garage and he found a Chevrolet 2500 truck parked in his driveway. Additionally Campbell found the main door to his home open and keys to the Explorer and another vehicle gone. Campbell informed police there was cash in the center console of the vehicle at the time it was stolen.

Police learned the Chevrolet had been reported stolen from Michael Long out of Whitley County and Waid was the suspect. That county had issued felony warrants for Waid’s arrest.

A second auto theft was reported on Aug. 14, at the residence of Steven Wilcoxson. He reported his 1991 GMC Sonoma stolen overnight. The following day, Aug. 15, police responded to a burglary and theft at the Jack McKenzie residence.

McKenzie reported he left his garage door open while mowing grass around noon. When he returned to the front of the garage he saw a Nissan Versa parked next to his garage and his 2000 Chevrolet Silverado truck missing. The Nissan was found to be stolen out of Noble County with Waid as the suspect.

On Aug. 16, an officer observed the stolen Chevrolet at Short Stop Gas Station, South Buffalo Street, Warsaw, with an individual pumping gas into the truck. Officers approached the truck at which time the individual, identified later as Waid, fled from officers in the vehicle without removing the gasoline nozzle, breaking the gas pump hose. The pursuit traveled on Lincoln and Johnson streets, where the truck hit a wooden privacy fence, continued to Lindberg Drive and hit a metal gate, owned by the city of Warsaw. The crash with the gate disabled the vehicle.

When police arrested Waid, he stated he was told by a friend a Ford Explorer was parked in a wooded area at CR 150S, east of SR 13 and provided exact directions. He also gave police a location on CR 150S where a 12 gauge double barrel shotgun could be located. Both items were found where Waid advised and the money was also recovered in the truck’s center counsel.

Warrant From 2013

One of the warrants on Waid was from a theft of tools in 2011. Documents filed in Kosciusko County on Oct. 17, 2013, allege Waid was given a construction job with Brad Stahl in December 2011. Stahl stated on Dec. 20, 2011, his tools were in the work trailer when he left, but upon returning Dec. 21, 2011, a DeWalt laminate trimmer, Bostitch air compressor, Chicago utility winch, DeWalt drywall screw gun and coil air nailer had been stolen.

Additionally Stahl stated Waid told him that same day he was leaving to drive his girlfriend to the hospital, and he believed Waid stole his tools.

Through the investigation police learned the tools had been pawned by Waid’s girlfriend. She told police he had told her he was working for someone and his boss had given him the tools because they were not needed any longer. She was asked to pawn them for him. She stated she gave the money to Waid, keeping $20 for herself.