Police investigate theft from road commission garage

Michigan State Police investigators have been asked to look into the theft of material from the St. Joseph County Road Commission.
The incident stems from a situation May 22 at the Colon Township garage on M-66, where asphalt used for road patching was loaded onto a flatbed trailer by a Sherman Township man. The man, an Omena Lake resident, was questioned at the scene by a St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department deputy and said a road commission employee gave him permission to take the material.
Upon further questioning from law enforcement and road commission officials, however, the man back peddled and admitted he was not authorized to take what is estimated to be two tons of material, according to Dave Allen, chair of the five-person road commission board.
Commissioner Robin Baker inquired about the issue during Wednesday’s executive committee meeting. After county administrator Pat Yoder provided an update, commissioners authorized Yoder to ask prosecutor John McDonough to pursue the case.
State police Det.-Sgt. Todd Petersen confirmed the matter was under investigation per McDonough’s request Wednesday morning.
Allen said the road commission board hasn’t had a chance to rehash the matter but it will be included on the agenda as a discussion item during the road commission’s monthly meeting Wednesday next week.