(La Porte County, IN) - Charges have been filed concerning the theft of scrap metal from a popular Michigan City area food store.

 

Jeffrey Griffin and Ronald Prichard are charged with level 5 felony theft.

 

According to court documents, the Michigan City area men about 4:30 a.m. on August 20, were captured on surveillance video placing stainless steel tubing and bracketing into the trunk of a car at Eastside Produce at 4666 W. U.S. 20.

 

Police said the store owner began calling scrap yards in the area after discovering the theft three days later. He contacted police after discovering a man on the same day of the theft sold 520 pounds of stainless steel for $150 at Paul's Auto Yard in Westville.

 

The man was described as a regular seller of metal at the salvage yard.

 

According to court documents, police were given his address and went to his home on Elston Street, where they located the suspects. They admitted taking the metal but claimed they were given permission from a butcher at the market named "John." However, the store owner said nobody by that name has ever worked at his store, which has been there for decades.

 

If convicted, Griffin and Prichard would face a one to six-year sentence.