Three People Facing Felony Charges After Burglary
KOSCIUSKO — Three people are facing felony charges after police say they were involved with a burglary that occurred in Kosciusko County.
Thomas Bradley Maxwell Jr., 47, 1023 Lancaster Drive, South Bend, was arrested on Jan. 15, and is being charged with burglary, a level 4 felony, and theft, a level 6 felony.
Rocky O’Connell, Fort Wayne, is wanted on a warrant for burglary, a level 4 felony; two counts of theft, level 6 felonies; fraud on a financial institution, a level 5 felony; forgery, a level 6 felony; and battery resulting in moderate bodily injury, a level 6 felony.
Heather Dalton, Fort Wayne, is wanted on a warrant for burglary, a level 4 felony, and theft, a level 6 felony.
On Nov. 25, officers with the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office responded to a burglary call. The homeowner advised that unknown subjects had entered his residence sometime in November and stolen a flatscreen television, clothing, jewelry, a DVD player, a cable box and a Pioneer receiver. The stolen items were valued at over $750.
Earlier that month, on Nov. 11, officers responded to a stolen vehicle call in which the owner of the vehicle, Maxwell, was battered. Maxwell advised that on Nov. 11, O’Connell battered him. The officer was able to observe a bruise to Maxwell’s right eye, an injury to the right side of his head and blood on his sweatshirt. Maxwell further advised that O’Connell stole his vehicle that contained his wallet and some identifying information.
On Nov. 14, Maxwell contacted officers again to report that $500 had been stolen from his bank account. Maxwell suspected that O’Connell stole the money using his identifying information that was located inside the stolen vehicle.
Maxwell further admitted to officers that he, O’Connell and Dalton had broken into the burglarized residence. According to Maxwell, after they entered the residence, O’Connell took a television off the wall and got into an argument with him, causing his injuries.
The officer then spoke with Dalton, who admitted that Maxwell and O’Connell had picked her up in a truck which already contained a television and other electronic items. They then drove to a residence, where Maxwell and ‘Connell began fighting.
The officer was able to discover that Maxwell had pawned the stolen Pioneer receiver at Worldwide Pawn in Goshen. The item matched what was stolen from the burglarized residence and the receipts contained a fingerprint. The officer was able to determine that the fingerprint actually belonged to O’Connell.
Surveillance video was obtained from the bank and showed that O’Connell was the subject who removed the $500 from Maxwell’s bank account. O’Connell filled out the withdraw slip with Maxwell’s information.
On Nov. 17, an officer with the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office pulled over a vehicle. The driver identified himself as Maxwell and provided the officer with Maxwell’s Indiana ID card. Through video, officers were able to determine that the subject pulled over was actually O’Connell using Maxwell’s ID.
The officers were able to locate the other stolen items from the burglary.