WARSAW — A Warsaw man has been arrested stemming from a month long investigation by the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department and the Milford Police Department.

Preliminary charges of felony theft and criminal mischief have been filed by Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Detectives against Mychal David Loper, 27, Warsaw.  Investigators stated that Loper allegedly vandalized and robbed at least five different laundromat and car wash coin machines in the last month.  Officers from the Milford Police Department were originally contacted on May 30 in regards to damage and theft from a coin machine at the Hometown Laundry in the town of Milford.  K.C.S.D. Detectives also responded to the scene and viewed video surveillance footage of a male subject breaking into numerous machines and stealing money.

K.C.S.D. Detectives were able to ascertain information that Mychal David Loper was a possible suspect in the Milford incident, and subsequently discovered he was already incarcerated in the Kosciusko County Jail on an unrelated failure to appear misdemeanor warrant. 

During an interview with detectives, Loper admitted to his involvement with the Milford theft, along with four additional thefts in the Warsaw area from coin operated machines at laundromats and car washes.  Loper also provided information to officers that he had allegedly stolen a pair of bolt cutters from the Nappanee Ace Hardware with the intent to vandalize and steal money from the coin machines at a laundromat in Nappanee.

Detectives stated that they are still currently investigating the possibility that Loper might have been involved in other similar crimes prior to his arrest.

The Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office advises that the defendant’s charge is merely an accusation and that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.