Several thousands of dollars worth of railroad metals were retrieved from the Starke County Recycling Company this morning after Knox City Police and the Norfolk Southern Railroad Police officers executed a search warrant at that location. This is part of an ongoing investigation of a theft report that was filed Saturday night and led to the arrest of Patrick Sobieck and Richard Selva.
According to police, a witness saw individuals in a red vehicle stealing metal from the Norfolk and Southern rail yard at U.S. 35 in Knox Saturday evening around 6:00 p.m.. After an investigation, police found that the vehicle was being used by Patrick Sobieck and Richard Selva. They were detained by police and questioned. Sobieck reportedly told police that he and Selva stole six steel tie plates from the rail yard and then took them to the scrap yard. Police executed a search warrant late that night at the scrap yard where the items were located and returned. Police returned to the business this morning and took more railroad items into evidence.
Both Sobieck and Selva have been charged with Burglary and Theft.
The Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum reported $5,000 worth of railroad materials stolen from the property Saturday as well. Both incidents remain under investigation and more charges are pending. If anyone knows more about any of these incidents, call the Starke County Sheriff’s Department at 772-3771.
