GOSHEN — The suspect in multiple burglaries throughout Michiana has been arrested after allegedly breaking into an Elkhart business.
Nathan Barger, 39, is charged with burglary as a Level 5 felony after his arrest on Dec. 16. Police say items from several recent thefts were found in his residence.
He appeared in Elkhart County Circuit Court for an initial hearing Thursday. Judge Michael Christofeno entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf and acknowledged that he had hired private counsel.
Christofeno gave Barger a preliminary jury trial date of May 5.
According to court documents:
Employees of a Moose Trail Drive business reported a suspicious person wearing all dark clothing being captured by their security cameras on Dec. 8. They had placed the camera after recent burglaries were reported at a neighboring business.
Officers found a door on the south side of a neighboring business at 2931 Moose Trail Drive that had apparently been forced open. There was a large amount of copper tubing piled up inside and a package containing a Soda Stream machine lying nearby.
A keyholder for the building told police they had tried to secure the door after a previous break-in. They said the copper and Soda Stream must have been taken from inside the building and left by the door to be picked up later.
Police say they conducted surveillance on a red 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan which they believe was owned by Barger and used in multiple burglaries. He is the subject of investigations in Elkhart and St. Joseph counties and in southern Michigan, according to police.
Police followed the Dodge to Barger’s residence and to a grocery store that morning, and say they spotted him wearing all dark clothing similar to the suspect in the video. Police say they followed the vehicle back out to 2931 Moose Trail Drive that night, but the door had been secured again and couldn’t be opened so Barger returned home.
Police obtained a warrant to search his Canton Street residence and say they found numerous stolen items from previous burglaries, though Barger wasn’t home. He was found and arrested on Dec. 16.