Staff Report

Kenneth James Doberstein

PIERCETON — A Winona Lake man was recently arrested after allegedly stealing more than $20,000 of money from Loomis Armored Car Service.

Kenneth James Doberstein, 30, 1514 Chestnut Ave. No. 1, Winona Lake, is charged with theft, a level 6 felony.

On Jan. 14, a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s deputy responded to a theft report from Loomis Armored Car Service. The deputy was told that loss prevention had been conducting an investigation into a theft from the business. According to court documents, the thefts occurred between October and December 2021.

Loomis provided documentation of $23,060 in U.S. currency that had been stolen from the Pierceton location. The investigation was narrowed to Doberstein, a Loomis employee, as the suspect.

During an interview with officers, Doberstein said that on multiple occasions, he shorted an ATM machine of U.S. currency while refilling the machine. Doberstein told officers that when he would fill the machines, he would leave a bundle of dollar bills containing $2,000 in a bag.

Doberstein would then place the money in his pants to elude detection by Loomis upon exiting the business at the end of his shift. Doberstein said he used this method to steal $2,000 bundles about 10 times between October and December 2021.

He admitted to using the stolen money for past due utility bills, rent, car payments, and Christmas gifts.

Doberstein was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail on Jan. 14, with a $10,000 surety and cash bond.