Man arrested after allegedly stealing alcohol, food, boat, and golf cart

Justin Kolbe

KOSCIUSKO COUNTY, Ind. -- Documents from Kosciusko County Superior Court reveal 39-year-old Justin Kolbe was arrested and charged with Burglary, a Level 5 Felony, two counts of Theft where value of property is between $750 -$50,000, both Level 6 Felonies, Theft, a Misdemeanor, Unauthorized Entry of a Motor Vehicle, a Misdemeanor, and Battery, a Misdemeanor, in connection with an Aug. 16 incident.

Kolbe's due in court on Sept. 18.

Around 5:58 p.m. on Aug. 16, Kosciusko County Dispatch dispatched deputies the Lakelife Bar and Grill for a burglary in progress.

The suspects were described as a white male, wearing black shorts, no shirt or shoes, with arm sleeve tattoos and a black baseball cap, and a white female wearing a bikini swimsuit and green shirt, with no shoes.

The owner told authorities he witnessed an individual walk out of the storage area of the business with their arms full of alcohol bottles. The suspect then placed the bottles in a blue BMW parked and running in front of the storage area.

The individual then reentered the storage area, at which point the owner followed and observed the suspect. Kolbe, and the other suspect with arms full of frozen food items.

The owner told them to put the items down and that he was calling the police. The couple then shoved the owner out of the way and entered the BMW. The owner then reached into the car and turned the vehicle off before breaking the key off in the ignition.

The suspects then fled on foot north on Barbee Road. The deputy on-scene observed several bottles of alcohol, packages/containers/glass jars of food, and bottles of condiments inside the BMW.

Around 6:39 p.m., authorities received a report of a stolen boat at a residence on EMS B49 Lane.

The caller said they looked out their kitchen window and noticed a man, identified as Kolbe, unsecure the caller's boat from the pier and push it toward the open water.

Other boaters who thought the boat was Kolbe's then towed him across the lake where he then jumped out and ran northeast.

At around 6:48 p.m., authorities received a call from a resident on C.R. 700 E where deputies learned Kolbe was captured on surveillance video rummaging through three cars. When confronted, Kolbe said he was looking for his dog before running north.

At around 7:36 p.m., a woman called dispatch to report a man, later identified as Kolbe, had entered her car while at a stop sign. Kolbe was described as shoeless and soaking wet.

Kolbe told the woman he was running from law enforcement and that he had a large amount of money in his BMW and that he would give her the cash if she drove him where he wanted to go.

The woman stopped the vehicle near EMS B36 Lane at which point Kolbe exited and fled on foot.

At around 7:44 p.m., dispatch received a call about a stolen golf cart from a residence on EMS B36 Lane.

At around 8 p.m., a Warsaw police officer attempted to locate Kolbe on Armstrong Road near First Street. Kolbe was found driving the stolen golf cart. Kolbe then parked in the yard of a residence.

The officer then approached the home's backdoor where a woman inside him Kolbe was inside. The woman then allowed the officer inside to arrest Kolbe.

Kolbe was then cuffed and taken to the Kosciusko County Jail.

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