MILFORD - Shortly before 2 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, Indiana State Troopers responded to a reported burglary in progress at a residence on Nelson Drive near Waubee Lake, southeast of Milford.
Master Trooper Tom Mechling had been contacted of suspicious activity spotted in the area.
While responding to the call, Mechling notified state police radio that dispatched Senior Trooper Kyle Dukes along with Milford police to the call.
When officers arrived they observed a door that had been forced open and two male subjects fleeing on foot from the rear of the home.
During the ensuing 13-minute foot pursuit, which included crossing frozen Waubee Lake and entering Camp Mack grounds, Mechling and Dukes took one of the suspects into custody. He was discovered hiding in a trash pile.
The 17-year-old suspect was identified as a Syracuse resident.
The second suspect was eventually identified and located with the assistance of Wawasee School Resource Officer Jeff Howie of the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department.
Howie had responded to the scene and was familiar with both suspects. The second suspect, a 16-year-old, was located at a residence in Milford around 3 p.m.
With the assistance of state police detectives, a search warrant was obtained for the home of the juvenile that lived in Milford.
Officers recovered items from the house that are purportedly linked to other burglaries in the area.
Both subjects were arrested and taken to Pierceton Woods Academy.
Agencies and officers assisting in the investigation included an Indiana State Police K-9 unit, the Milford town marshal, the Syracuse Police Department, the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department, the Kosciusko Area Drug Task Force and the Kosciusko County Prosecutor's Office.This is a situation where neighbors watching out for neighbors led to the apprehension of two burglary suspects, commented Master Trooper Dan Ringer. The state police remind citizens to be alert and mindful of suspicious activity in their neighborhoods and report any such activity to their nearest police agency.
