PORTAGE | Three men were arrested on charges Sunday morning after police said they burglarized and ransacked the home of one of their neighbors.
Daniel Scarpinato, 19, of 3541 Wilshire, Portage, was charged with burglary, resisting law enforcement and minor consumption of alcohol and Keith R. Madritsch, 18, of 3745 Schneider, Lake Station, was charged with burglary and minor consumption and Robert Allen Miller, 21, of 5837 Kingman, Portage, was charged with burglary.
According to the police report, a neighbor of Scarpinato's left for work Sunday and was contacted by another neighbor who told police he was awakened about 5:45 a.m. Sunday to the sound of banging, looked out his window and saw three people leaving his neighbor's home.
Police entered the home and found it had been ransacked with overturned appliances and furniture, holes left in a bedroom wall and numerous other broken items. There was also damage to a partially built customized motorcycle that was on a bike lift in the victim's kitchen, causing $5,000 in damages. The victim also told police that several items were missing, including a flat screen television, DVD player, computer, $3,850 in cash and a portable safe.
The victim also told police he suspected his neighbor because they had been involved in a dispute for the last couple of weeks.
Police went to the Scarpinato residence and said they found the three suspects in the home. The three initially denied involvement in the burglary. During the arrests, Scarpinato was placed in the back of a police vehicle, but allegedly tried to exit the vehicle and fought with police.
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