Man faces 2 felonies in moped theft

PAW PAW, Mich. (WOOD) - A Van Buren County man faces two felonies after allegedly stealing three small vehicles.

John Conwell, 35, of Pine Grove Township was arrested Wednesday morning around 5:30 a.m. after a sheriff's deputy spotted him in the area of County Road 673 and M-43, according to the Van Buren County Sheriff's Department.

Conwell's truck was hauling a trailer loaded with a brand-new dirt bike, quad runner and moped still in a shipping crate.

The deputy turned around to pull the man over, but the suspect pulled into a private drive in an attempt to shake the deputy, according to the sheriff's department. The deputy was able to stop the suspect from fleeing further as he tried to exit his truck.

The driver couldn't explain to the deputy where he was going or where he had gotten the new vehicles.

The trailer's plates were invalid and the driver's license was suspended. Conwell was already wanted for a probation violation, so he was arrested.

Further investigation by sheriff's detectives revealed that the vehicles had been stolen from a Lawrence-area distributor. There was evidence of a break-in at the distributor and the owner of the vehicles was able to identify the stolen items as his.

Conwell then admitted to authorities that he had used a large set of bolt cutters to break into the building and had then stolen the vehicles.

Conwell was charged Thursday with breaking and entering a building with intent and possession of burglary tools, both 10-year felonies.