Alert Berrien County Sheriff’s Deputies who spotted unusual activity at 1:42 in the morning today while on patrol in Niles, led to the successful arrest of two South Bend teens on stolen vehicle charges, and also sparked a search for a second vehicle reportedly stolen from Tyler Automotive on S. 11th Street in that community.
Berrien County Sheriff’s Department Lt. David Zizkovsky reports that patrols from his department spotted two vehicles driving in the parking lot of Tyler Automotive in the 1800 block of S. 11th street at that time and found themselves in a chase when both vehicles sped from the dealership at a high rate of speed.
Neither car would stop when authorities attempted to pull them over, and deputies pursued one of them for approximately one minute north-bound on S. 11th Street when the vehicle ultimately pulled over at S. 11th and Hickory Street in the City of Niles.
At the time of the traffic stop, the vehicle was being operated by an 18 year old man from South Bend, and was also occupied by an 18 year old woman passenger from South Bend.
That vehicle was confirmed to be stolen out of South Bend, and the 18 year old man was lodged at the Berrien County Jail on charges of Possession/Concealing of a stolen vehicle and for fleeing & eluding police. The 18 year old woman was lodged at the county jail on a charge of Possession/Concealing of a stolen vehicle as well as on valid arrest warrants out of both Cass County and Kent County.
The second vehicle that fled from the scene is believed to have been stolen from the parking lot of Tyler Automotive and the investigation into that case continues.
Both the Niles City Police Department and the Michigan State Police assisted the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office with the incident.
