KOSCIUSKO — An Elkhart man has been arrested after a string of 2017 thefts from Meijer involving two other individuals.

Michael Lee Hancock, 46, 58876 CR 113, Elkhart, is being charged with corrupt business influence, a level 5 felony, and five counts of theft, level 6 felonies.

On July 9, 2017, officials at Meijer Store, Warsaw, notified Warsaw Police that two males and a female had stolen $1,253.14 worth of camping equipment earlier that day had returned in an attempt to steal more. Officials were notified the trio were observed filling two shopping carts with merchandise, then pushed the carts into the garden center. A male subject, later identified as Hancock, was holding a dog and attempted to distract the garden center employee to allow the male and female to push the filled carts past all points of pay.

Hancock, with the dog, would not leave the area, the three walked out and entered into two separate vehicles and left. Meijer officials were able to obtain the license plates. The same method was used earlier in the day.

Police officers were advised earlier in the day the same three selected camping gear, placed it in the shopping carts and walked to the garden center. There, Hancock distracted the employee with the female and male pushing the merchandise past the checkout counters. The items were then loaded into their vehicles before leaving.

Further investigation learned the three had participated in three additional thefts — June 25, June 24 and July 8. The same method was used in those thefts. Items taken June 24 were valued at $1,321.71, items June 25 were valued at $1,117.98 and items July 8 were valued at $1,140.17. The items consisted of sporting goods, automotive, textile, food and liquor items.

The female was later identified as Tara Louis Podemski, Warsaw. Podemski was arrested Aug. 9, 2017. She was sentenced in March to serve 1 1/2 years in the Kosciusko County Jail. Part of the sentence will be served on home detention, and six months of the sentence will be served with Kosciusko County Community Corrections. The other male has yet to be identified.

Podemski admitted to police she and the two males stole the items several times but refused to provide the names of those individuals. Meijer employees knew Podemski and were able to identify Hancock as her boyfriend. This was confirmed through surveillance video.

Hancock was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail on July 16, with a  $10,250 surety and cash bond.