2 young men confess to 2 break-ins

COLUMBIA TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) - Two young men are in jail after allegedly breaking into a home and a storage trailer in Van Buren County.

Zachary Wingate, 18, from Grand Junction is facing a probation detainer charge. Joshua Kish, 19, from Grand Junction is facing a probation violation charge.

Officers will be seeking breaking and entering charges on both suspects.

Deputies were dispatched sometime before midnight on Jan. 8 to investigate a home invasion in the 50000 block of County Road 380 in Columbia Township. Deputies said the suspects gained access by breaking a window, and then stole gaming equipment and miscellaneous electronics.  

Police were then sent to a storage trailer on the same road for a similar crime. The owner of the trailer told police that the suspects cut the locks and then stole various tools, a heating element and a surveillance camera.  

Investigators were able to develop information about a suspect and went to his home. No one would answer the door when deputies knocked. They then noticed a camera mounted outside the residence that appeared to be the same as the one stolen from the storage trailer.

Deputies sought and executed a search warrant the next day at that residence in the 20000 block of 50th Street. The owner, Wingate, tried to flee out a back window of the residence but was detained because he was on probation at the time.

Police seized tools, the camera and the heating element.

Detectives interviewed Wingate who confessed to the two break-ins.

The investigation led detectives to information about another suspect -- Kish -- as documents connected to the search warrant showed his name as living with Wingate.

Detectives returned to the residence on Jan. 10 because a felony warrant for probation violation had been issued for Kish.

Kish was arrested at the home and interviewed and also confessed to the break-ins. He showed detectives the remainder of the stolen property.