Alleged Shoplifting Led To Sunday’s Police Pursuit

August 14, 2024 at 8:04 p.m.
Ridley Brown
Ridley Brown

By JACKIE GORSKI Lifestyles Editor

The Warsaw man who led law enforcement officers on a pursuit Sunday was accused of allegedly stealing about $400 worth of merchandise from an area store before the pursuit.
Ridley Lee Brown, 44, of 502 Oldfather St., is charged with resisting law enforcement, a level 6 felony; theft, a class A misdemeanor; resisting law enforcement with a sentence enhancement, a level 5 felony; and theft with a sentence enhancement, a level 6 felony.
He was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail at 12:04 p.m. Sunday on a $10,250 preliminary bond.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on Sunday a Warsaw Police Department officer responded to a theft complaint at a store. The officer learned the suspect, later identified as Brown, exited the store and entered an SUV. The officer located the vehicle exiting the parking lot. Brown failed to stop at the stop sign and cut off another vehicle.
The officer activated his emergency lights and attempted to initiate a traffic stop. Brown disregarded a stop light, turned on to U.S. 30 and fled from the officer. Brown drove through a red light on U.S. 30 and CR 150W, with Brown’s vehicle reaching speeds of 115 miles per hour. A Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office deputy deployed stop sticks that hit all four tires. However, Brown continued to flee, according to court documents.
Law enforcement officers boxed Brown’s vehicle in and were able to terminate the pursuit. Two WPD officers sustained damage to their patrol vehicles during the pursuit.
An officer spoke with the store’s asset protection employees and obtained video footage of their interaction with Brown. On the video, the officer saw Brown walk past all points of sale, attempt to leave the store and be confronted by asset protection employees. The employees told Brown to go with them to the asset protection office but Brown went back in the store, left the bucket and fled from the store.
The total value of the items Brown attempted to steal was $398.59.
Brown had a prior unrelated conviction for resisting law enforcement in Kosciusko County on Jan. 25, 2001, as well as a prior unrelated conviction for burglary in Kosciusko County on Nov. 19, 2018.


The Warsaw man who led law enforcement officers on a pursuit Sunday was accused of allegedly stealing about $400 worth of merchandise from an area store before the pursuit.
Ridley Lee Brown, 44, of 502 Oldfather St., is charged with resisting law enforcement, a level 6 felony; theft, a class A misdemeanor; resisting law enforcement with a sentence enhancement, a level 5 felony; and theft with a sentence enhancement, a level 6 felony.
He was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail at 12:04 p.m. Sunday on a $10,250 preliminary bond.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on Sunday a Warsaw Police Department officer responded to a theft complaint at a store. The officer learned the suspect, later identified as Brown, exited the store and entered an SUV. The officer located the vehicle exiting the parking lot. Brown failed to stop at the stop sign and cut off another vehicle.
The officer activated his emergency lights and attempted to initiate a traffic stop. Brown disregarded a stop light, turned on to U.S. 30 and fled from the officer. Brown drove through a red light on U.S. 30 and CR 150W, with Brown’s vehicle reaching speeds of 115 miles per hour. A Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office deputy deployed stop sticks that hit all four tires. However, Brown continued to flee, according to court documents.
Law enforcement officers boxed Brown’s vehicle in and were able to terminate the pursuit. Two WPD officers sustained damage to their patrol vehicles during the pursuit.
An officer spoke with the store’s asset protection employees and obtained video footage of their interaction with Brown. On the video, the officer saw Brown walk past all points of sale, attempt to leave the store and be confronted by asset protection employees. The employees told Brown to go with them to the asset protection office but Brown went back in the store, left the bucket and fled from the store.
The total value of the items Brown attempted to steal was $398.59.
Brown had a prior unrelated conviction for resisting law enforcement in Kosciusko County on Jan. 25, 2001, as well as a prior unrelated conviction for burglary in Kosciusko County on Nov. 19, 2018.


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