Four people were arrested Tuesday, October 18 in Marshall County following an investigation into a stolen excavator.
Officers from the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department say the excavator was reported stolen from Wabash County earlier in the day. Police received information that the equipment was reportedly at a residence in the 20000 block of 14B Road in Culver.
Officers observed a pickup truck pulling a trailer with the stolen excavator leaving the residence, according to the report. A traffic stop was conducted and police reportedly confirmed that the excavator was the same that was reported stolen.
The driver of the vehicle, 25-year-old Jose Arciniega of Hammond, and passenger, 33-year-old Virgil Tharp, of Gary, were arrested on a preliminary charge of possession of stolen property. A third person in the vehicle, 30-year-old Brian Coleman, of Gary, was arrested on active warrants in Lake County and Porter County.
Police say after the property was recovered, detectives went back to the Culver residence and found the pickup truck and trailer used in the alleged theft as described by a witness. Both were registered to 48-year-old Jamie Nitcher, according to the report. Nitcher was taken into custody in regards to being in possession of the stolen property valued in excess of $50,000.
Suspects are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
