Pair charged with theft of quarters

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

A pair of teenagers have been arrested and charged with theft for allegedly stealing quarters from vending machines in two western Indiana communities.

Jacob McFerron and Nicki Davis, both 19 years old of Greencastle, were charged with three felony counts of theft after police say they broke into various machines and coin receptacles in Greencastle and Brazil in early July.

Also suspected are three Greencastle juveniles who told police the adults persuaded them to use their vehicles during the thefts that occurred at three Greencastle businesses.

McFerron and Davis were booked into the Clay County Jail on July 11 and the juveniles are awaiting an appearance before the judge.

The class D felony charges were announced Tuesday morning by Putnam County Prosecutor Tim Bookwalter.

"The break in this case came when Greencastle Police Department forwarded information to Brazil Police where the individuals were caught in the act in Brazil," Bookwalter said. "Detective Randy Seipel then was able to interview the suspects and gained confessions from some of them."

According to a police report, the suspects made their way to three Greencastle businesses on the night of July 9 and made off with cash and coins contained inside vending machines and coin receptacles. The three businesses that reported thefts were Soapy Joe's car wash, Super Wash and Harmless laundry-mat.

McFerron is alleged to have used a crow bar and lock cutters, stolen from Wal-Mart, to break into the machines. Davis allegedly waited nearby and removed whatever was inside the machines.

It is believed by police that the pair also went to Brazil where they broke into vending machines there, also stopping between the two communities and stealing money from a location at the Reelsville Water Authority on U.S. 40.

They were detected by Brazil police where they were arrested. However the two also appear in book-in records at the Putnam County Jail for previous arrests there.

Police did not say how much money the two allegedly stole, however they found approximately $5 worth of quarters in one of the cars that they believe were used in the crimes.

Police believe they also took other items from the machines, including car air fresheners. They found a pile of those in the back of one of the cars and collected them as evidence.

If convicted, the two adults could face up to nine years in prison.

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: