Chesterton Tribune

 

 

Suspects in armed robbery burglary, in custody after alert officer's traffic stop

Back To Front Page

 

Two men suspected in multiple armed robberies in Porter and Lake counties--including one on Monday night in Portage--and a third person who Portage Police said was an accomplice of theirs in a residential burglary were taken into custody on Tuesday after an alert officer performed a traffic stop on their vehicle.

Brent Joseph Rains, 30, of 2752 Stephanie Court in Portage, and Roy Alexander Castro, 25, of 480W 700N in Portage Township, were both charged with one count of robbery and one of burglary.

Nikita Ray Santos, 24, of Lake Station, was charged with burglary.

According to police, at 9:23 p.m. Tuesday Master Patrol Officer Brian Graves was eastbound on Central Ave. near Eagle Street when he observed, passing him westbound, a maroon over gold Pontiac Montana van similar to one believed to be involved in several armed robberies “over the past few days.”

Graves turned around and followed the van, stopping it near County Line Road. He then made contact with its occupants: the driver, Santos, and passengers Rains and Castros. Castros proved to be wanted on a Porter County warrant charging him with theft and was taken into custody, police said. Graves next asked Santos and Rains to exit the van, at which time he observed “a large knife on the back passenger’s side floorboard,” police said.

Knowing that a knife had been displayed in the course of the previous robberies, Graves secured the van and arranged for its transport to the Portage PD garage, then detained Santos and Rains, along with Castro, for questioning.

Det. Sgt. Joe Mokol subsequently interviewed the three and secured Rains and Castros’ confession to robbery and all threes’ to a burglary on Springfield Ave. which had been reported by the homeowners less than an hour after Graves performed the traffic stop, police said.

“The proactive effort by Officer Graves and the Patrol Crew was exceptional,” Police Chief Troy Williams said. “These officers took the information that was known and began scouring the city for a possible suspect vehicle and found it. The officers worked together to keep themselves and the suspects safe as they removed them from the vehicle, transported them to the police department, and impounded the suspect vehicle. Det. Sgt. Mokol did an outstanding job in obtaining confessions and ultimately bringing a resolution to a series of armed robberies as well as a burglary in Portage that occurred shortly before the suspects were stopped by Officer Graves. I could not be prouder of the combined actions and efforts of our department.”

Santos was also charged with identity deception, false informing, and possession of paraphernalia; Rains, with possession of a hypodermic.

All three were transported to Porter County Jail.

Other charges may be pending, police added.

 

 

Posted 1/7/2016

 
 
 
 

 

 

Search This Site:

Custom Search