04/18/11 On Thursday, April 14, troopers served an arrest warrant in New Carlisle on a subject that was wanted for theft. The warrant was the result of an ongoing investigation between the Indiana State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Officers located and arrested Renato Debartolo, 44, at his Chicago Trail home in New Carlisle. The arrest warrant was issued by the La Porte Circuit Court for theft, a class D-Felony. Allegedly Debartolo made alterations to his barn electrical meter and incoming power supply lines in order to bypass the meter. Purportedly Debartolo was responsible for receiving more than $21,000.00 of unmetered electricity.
The state police also recently served a search warrant on a home in the 1400 block of east Miner Street in South Bend. This search warrant was issued as a result of a 1 month investigation that was initiated by American Electric Power (AEP) Loss Prevention officers. During the search of this home, trooper’s recovered evidence of meter tampering, and an allegedly stolen electric meter. AEP Loss Prevention is estimating their loss in this case to be well in excess of $4,000.00.
The Indiana State Police would like to remind everyone that although the meters are attached to your house, they are the property of AEP or the local utility company. Tampering with a meter can not only be extremely dangerous, but may also result in criminal prosecution.
*All subjects arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
