A Valparaiso resident has been charged in connection with the burglary on Nov. 19 of The Courts at 127 E. U.S. Highway 6 in Liberty Township.

Brandon Michael Welshan, 20, of 440-1 Piedmont Road, is facing one count of aiding in a burglary, a Class C felony punishable by a term of two to eight years in prison.

According to the probable cause affidavit filed by Det. Tim Manteuffel of the Porter County Sheriff’s Police, information was developed that Welshan might have knowledge of the burglary, in which a substantial amount of cash, multiple computers and monitors, and a 61-inch Samsung flat-screen television were stolen.

In an interview on Dec. 3, Manteuffel stated in his affidavit, Welshan advised that on Nov. 19 he had been playing basketball at The Courts with two other subjects. After leaving the facility at 6 p.m., Welshan advised, he was driving home with the pair when one of them said that he had lost something at The Courts and wanted to go back.

They did so but the gate was closed, Welshan advised. The two subjects told Welshan to wait for them and when they returned around 15 minutes later they were carrying a flat-screen TV and a desktop computer, which were stowed in the vehicle, Welshan advised. The three then left the scene, the two subjects telling Welshan that they had entered through the front door, Welshan advised. One of them gave Welshan $150 in cash when he got home, Welshan advised.

The Courts was burglarized a second time late Dec. 2 or early Dec. 3.

Posted 12/13/2007