Two individuals with multiple active warrants were taken into custody Saturday night after initially attempting to flee from authorities.
On Saturday, August 17th, the Bremen Police Department responded to a complaint of a suspicious person acting erratically in the 500 block of East Plymouth Street. Officers responded to conduct a welfare check on the individual.
Upon their arrival, the male subject and a female acquaintance reportedly entered the south side of an apartment building and ran through the hallway and out the north side of the building. They apparently continued northbound across Plymouth Street.
Police say the male subject was identified as Jordan Merchant, of Nappanee, and was known to have a felony warrant for his arrest through Elkhart County for dealing methamphetamine and a warrant through Marshall County for dealing marijuana.
According to the police report issued by Bremen PD, as officers searched the area, it was found that the two fled into a wooded area off of North Alexander Street. An Indiana State Police K9 team was contacted and began a search through the woods, assisted by the Nappanee Police Department.
As Bremen and Marshall County officers searched the area and spoke to residents, it was found that the female had apparently entered the front door of a residence in the 400 block of East North Street, ran through the house and exited out of the rear door.
In the alley behind this residence, another citizen observed the male subject removing clothing and discarding them in the alley. Recovering these clothes, a handgun was reportedly found under the clothing. Police report that it was fully loaded and found to be reported stolen out of Elkhart County.
After a search lasting over four hours, the male subject was observed leaving the same woods, west of where he entered and was running southbound.
Officers were able to locate the subject and he was taken into custody in the 400 block of East Plymouth Street. He was placed under arrest for the outstanding warrants and the additional charges of a felon in possession of a handgun and possession of a stolen handgun.
At approximately 8:40 p.m., the Bremen Police Department received a call reporting a suspicious female in the 400 block of East North Street, knocking on doors stating she was looking for her boyfriend. The female was located and it was determined she was the female who fled from officers earlier.
The female allegedly gave a false name and date of birth initially. Her true identity was determined to be Alexandra Berkes, of Syracuse.
She was found to have an active warrant through Elkhart County for dealing methamphetamine and an active warrant through Kosciusko County for a probation violation from the possession of amphetamines. She was placed under arrest for the outstanding warrants.
The Bremen Police Department was assisted by the Indiana State Police, the Nappanee Police Department, the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department, and numerous observant citizens.
This information was obtained from a police report that was shared on the Bremen PD Facebook Page.
