BERGLAND, MI - Thursday, April 03, 2008 - The Gogebic County Sheriff's Department was notified that small white Nissan automobile was stolen from the parking lot area of Wal-Mart. A witness stated that there were two male subjects seen in the car just prior to it leaving the area. A "be on the lookout" was put out on the stolen vehicle and the vehicle was spotted by the Marenisco Police department along US-2.

After a high speed chase from US-2 in Marensisco township, down M-64 North into Ontonagon county and back onto East US-2 towards Bergland, MI. the stolen vehicle (white Nissan) was stopped by area law enforcement and two male subjects, one adult and one juvenile, were arrested in Bergland, MI.

Agencies that were involved included the Michigan State Police, Gogebic County Sheriff''s Office, MI DNR, Marenisco Police Dept. and Ontonagon County Sheriff''s Office.

After the stolen vehicle was stopped on M-28 in Bergland, MI GCSD Deputy Dan Pertile and Marensico Police Chief Bruce Mahler asked how they got to Ironwood in the first place. The driver advised the arresting officers that they stole a red colored Doge Ram on Tuesday night from the Marquette, MI. area.

The suspects were subsequently taken to the Gogebic County Sheriff''s Office (GCSO) where they were lodged for various charges. While at the GCSO the adult suspect was interrogated by MSP Troppper Steven Koskela. After Koskela finished talking to the suspect, Deputy Pertile interrogated him.

Prior to any questioning by Deputy Pertile, the adult suspect was read his Miranda Warnings and he agreed to waive his rights and talk with him. The older suspect told the deputy that around 6:00pm on Tuesday night, he and Juvenile left the Great Lakes Recovery Center located in Marquette , MI . They went to the NMU college area know as the ""PEIF"" and changed their clothes. The adult suspect said that they decided to look for a car or vehicle to steal and saw a guy get out of his red Dodge pick up truck. The guy went into the school at this point. They went over and looked inside the truck and noticed that the keys were in the ignition. The suspect said that he drove the vehicle from there. He also said that because he was familiar with the U.P. that he said they should go to the Ironwood, MI. area. He said that they left for Ironwood Tuesday night.

On Wednesday morning, the suspect said that they left the truck in the Wal-Mart parking lot as it was pretty low on gas. They went inside and hung around for awhile. The accused said that they wanted to leave town. So they looked for another vehicle to take and they found the white Nissan with the keys inside of it and took that, leaving the red Dodge in the parking lot at Wal-Mart.

The suspect provided the Gogebic County Deputy with a voluntary written statement and confession.

Jim Albert