OSWEGO - The Kosciusko County Sheriff Department's arrest of two men for stealing from an Oswego laundromat Wednesday has led to leads in several recent crimes.

Booked into Kosciusko County Jail Wednesday morning were Christopher Delbert East, 19, of 409 EMS T26 Lane, Leesburg, and Bradley Donald Smith, 19, same address. Both were charged with theft from a coin machine and held without bond.

KCSD deputies responded to a call from an employee of Oswego Laundry reporting two men stealing from a coin-operated soap dispenser at 7 a.m. Wednesday. Upon arrival the deputies apprehended Smith and East.

In searching the suspects' car police found a Motorola radio with a Warsaw Holiday Inn employee's name on the back. The radio led police to connect Smith and East with $7,000 in damage that occurred at the Holiday Inn on Sunday.

The suspects allegedly damaged the facilty and stole the two-way radio and a portable stereo.

During questioning the men implicated themselves in other crimes in Leesburg and North Webster the last week.

According to Det. Tom Brindle, KCSD, Smith and East are suspected in the burglary and damage that took place at Sign Graphics, North Ind. 13, North Webster. The suspects' shoes match footprints found at the scene, and a laptop computer stolen from Sign Graphics was found in Smith and East's car at the laundromat.

The suspects also implicated themselves in recent auto thefts. At 2 a.m. Nov. 22, John and Susan Schubert, EMS T23 Lane, Leesburg, reported the theft of two cars from their residence. Later that morning one of the cars was recovered in a field.

The Schuberts' second car was recovered from a pond near CR 300E and 450N, Oswego, following a divers' search of the pond.

The men are suspected in the theft of a third car and a residential robbery.

Police recovered more than $5,000 in stolen goods from the suspects, including a stereo system, $560, a .25-caliber semi-automatic gun and a radar detector.

The investigation into the crimes continues. [[In-content Ad]]