HOBART | The theft charges filed Friday against a 38-year-old Michigan City man clear up all the catalytic converter thefts in Hobart, Hobart police Detective Jay Bailey said.
"And if he did what he said he did he's probably one of the biggest catalytic converter thieves in the area," Bailey said.
Thomas Raymond Breese Jr. was charged with 20 counts of theft in Lake County Superior Court in Crown Point.
Breese, who was arrested by Hobart police Wednesday, said his heroin habit drove him to steal an estimated 800 to 1,000 catalytic converters in a seven-county area, Bailey said.
The thefts, which Breese told police he committed from May to early November, also included catalytic converters removed from LaPorte city police cars and an Indiana State Police car in Elkhart County, Lt. Steve Houck said.
In addition to Lake and Elkhart counties, Breese said he also stole catalytic converters in LaPorte, Porter, Newton, Jasper and Pulaski counties, Houck said.
Several other police departments, including Merrillville, Michigan City, Chesterton, and Lake and Porter sheriff's departments, have contacted Hobart because they are interested in the possibility of linking Breese to thefts in those communities, Bailey said.
The 20 charges filed regarding the Hobart thefts occurred from June 1 to Wednesday, court documents say.
The thefts Breese is charged with include catalytic converters allegedly taken from vehicles parked at businesses throughout Hobart, including those at Stan's Painting and Decorating, Hobart Truck Services, Marbec Industrial, Hobart's Storage Too, Niemeyer Airport, Budget Truck Rental, Able Paper, Americlean, Peerless Cleaners and Penske Truck Rental.
Breese also is alleged to have stolen catalytic converters from a church-owned van parked at Deep River Church of Christ and from a privately owned truck parked near Festival Park where Breese went to feed the ducks, according to court documents.
Bailey said police were tipped to Breese by Porter County sheriff's police Monday.
He said that department, which has been investigating several of its cases, notified Hobart police about two suspects released by Gary police who might have possible links to a catalytic converter theft in Hobart.
The tip led Hobart police to the Knight's Inn in Michigan City where Breese and the other suspect, a woman, were living.
Police arrested Breese, who was leaving in his car, Bailey said.
They then went back to the hotel, where they searched the room after receiving consent from the second suspect who later was arrested, Bailey said.
Inside the hotel room, police said they recovered a battery-operated saw.
