Two St. Joseph County men are charged in connection with two Kosciusko County business burglaries.

Richard Simmons, 19, of Mishawaka, is in custody in Berrien County, Mich., where he recently was arrested in connection with a burglary there.

Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department Detective Sgt. Todd Sautter said Michigan authorities contacted him after Simmons allegedly implicated himself and James Rutt, 26, of South Bend, in break-ins to Diamond Fleet near Atwood and J&M Gravel near Etna Green.

Both of the incidents were featured in the weekly Crime Stoppers cases, but police had not received any tips.

The Diamond Fleet burglary occurred June 22. The telephone lines to the business were cut and entry was made through a window. The offices were ransacked and tools valued at more than $16,000 were reported missing.

The J&M burglary occurred June 26. The telephone lines were cut during this break-in, too, and a personal computer and coins were taken. The loss to the business was estimated at $3,000.

Sautter said he interviewed Simmons at the Michigan jail in which he was incarcerated and learned about both men's involvement. Police subsequently executed a search warrant at Rutt's residence and recovered some of the stolen items.

Rutt also reportedly confessed to the crimes during an interview at the Mishawaka Police Department.

The men are believed responsible for several other burglaries in northern Indiana and southern Michigan, Sautter said.

Each is charged in Kosciusko Superior Court I with two counts of burglary as Class C felonies, and two counts of theft as Class D felonies. [[In-content Ad]]