It’s not often that major industries are targeted for break ins, but a couple of them in the Niles area have police scratching their heads in search of answers and they are looking to the public for help as well.
Last night, the Niles Police Department was alerted to a breaking & entering incident in progress at Schrader Steel Fabricating in the 800 block of N. 8th Street. Thanks to an alert neighboring business owner, police were able to catch four people the neighboring businessman had seen trying to force their way into the building.
Niles Police K-9 Officer Shane Daniel arrested Branden Himmenger and three teens aged 14 to 16 years old, who all confessed to their involvement in breaking into Schrader Steel and doing extensive damage to both the building a industrial equipment and stealing things earlier on the same day.
Fortunately, those same players admitted both knowledge of and responsibility for breaking into the Simplicity Pattern factory building at 901 Wayne Street in Niles on two other occasions, both March 27th and March 29th during when thousand of dollars more in damage was caused.
Niles authorities say that all of the break-ins, damage and thefts remain under investigation and charges will be sought going forward. They are also asking anyone else who might have information regarding the industrial plant break-ins to contact the Niles Police Department at their earliest convenience by calling 269-683-1313.
