CROWN POINT

2 M'ville teens arrested in car burglary cases

Aaron J. Swelfer, 18, and Ryan T. Wengel, 19, both of Merrillville, were arrested early Friday morning after Crown Point police responded to a 911 report of people breaking into parked cars in the 900 block of Heritage Court, police said.

When officers arrived, they said they saw people run away but located them hiding in a nearby storage shed. The men were ordered to come out, and one came out with a pair of pruning shears while the other pushed an officer, then fled, police said.

Both men were taken into custody, and no officers were harmed, police said.

Swelfer and Wengel were charged in Lake Criminal Court with theft, battery on law enforcement, public intoxication and criminal mischief. They are believed to have burglarized at least six cars, according to a police statement.

CROWN POINT

Man faces charge of battering pregnant wife

Orion Jason Kirby, of 100 block of Tenbrook Drive, Crown Point, was charged with two counts of criminal confinement and one count of domestic battery after choking and hitting his pregnant wife, police said Monday.

Kirby's wife, who is five months pregnant, told emergency room personnel at St. Anthony Medical Center that her husband choked her, threw her on the bed and kneed her in the abdomen in front of the couple's 1-year-old son, police said.

According to the statement, the two had argued the day before because she wanted to leave Kirby. The incident began after she began packing her belongings to leave, police said.

MERRILLVILLE

Tools reported stolen from truck on Sunday

Tools were reported stolen Sunday morning from a truck parked in a lot in the 8700 block of Louisiana Street.

Police said five nail guns and a roller magnet were reported stolen from the truck.

There were no suspects in the case as of Monday, police said.

HOBART

Man arrested outside liquor store on Saturday

Police on Saturday stopped a 54-year-old Hobart man after he was spotted repeatedly running over a curb outside a liquor store.

Hobart police Cpl. Mike Mattel stopped a pickup driven by Richard Schutatz after the man and a companion were spotted leaving Foremost Liquors, 1265 S. Lake Park Ave., shortly before 6 p.m., Lt. Steve Houck said.

Schutatz had a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.30, he said.

Schutatz was arrested and will be charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated, Houck said.