2 men arrested on theft charges

CELINA - Two Muncie, Indiana, men were arrested on Thanksgiving Day on grand theft and breaking and entering charges after they were reportedly found hauling a stolen trailer and ATV.

Lee M. Peterson, 28, and Stanley L. Justice-Keeton, 37, are being held in the Mercer County jail on $100,000 bail, subject to a 10% cash option. They are each charged with fourth-degree felony grand theft and fifth-degree felony breaking and entering.

Deputies received an alarm at 11:57 p.m. Nov. 25 from 5228 State Route 118 in Coldwater, the site of Lefeld Implement, according to a Mercer County Sheriff's Office news release. When deputies arrived at the scene, they reportedly discovered a John Deere Gator ATV was missing and advised other deputies to be on the lookout.

Later, Deputy Kyle Fink reportedly spotted a white truck pulling a flatbed trailer holding a new John Deere Gator on State Route 219, near State Route 49, heading westward.

The sheriff's office had received a notice earlier in the day from the Decatur Police Department advising local agencies to be on the lookout for a white truck, which was involved in the theft of a trailer in that city, the release stated. With this information, Fink reportedly stopped the truck.

Fink was able to confirm the Gator was stolen from Lefeld Implement and the trailer had been stolen from Decatur, Indiana, according to the release.

Peterson and Justice-Keeton were arrested and processed into the jail on Thanksgiving morning. Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey said the pair are suspects in other reported thefts in Ohio and Indiana. His office is reportedly working with law enforcement in other jurisdictions to clear cases there as well.

Mercer County Prosecutor Matt Fox assisted with reviewing the case and prepared charges early Monday morning, according to the news release.

Grey said in the release that having local agencies share information and the deputies being vigilant had made the arrests possible.

The investigation is ongoing.