Man charged after accomplice, technology led police to him
A 24-year-old Mount Pleasant man is facing 10 years in prison after an accomplice and technology helped police apprehend him.
Evan Leimbach was charged Tuesday in Racine County Circuit Court with one felony count of theft of goods totaling more than $10,000 in value. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison and/or up to $25,000 in fines.
Accomplice breaks the silence
According to the criminal complaint, Leimbach and two other men on January 29, 2022, used Leimbach’s mother’s van to steal a number of metal sheets from Racine Metal Fabricators in Sturtevant. While incarcerated at the Ozaukee County Jail, one of Leimbach’s accomplices relayed the details of the theft, saying they loaded a number of 2′ x 3′ metal sheets into the van before departing.
Video surveillance shows a dark-colored van back up to a dumpster, and three people load up a quantity of scrap metal into the van, the complaint continues. Police found footprints, a cup of coffee, and a work glove around the dumpsters. RMF estimated the value of the metal at more than $10,000.
Investigators also used GeoLocation and GeoFence technology the night of the theft to place Leimbach’s phone number and email address within four to six meters – 13 to 20 feet – of the RMF property on the date in question. According to the criminal complaint, during questioning, Leimbach said he knew one of the men because he was Leimbach’s meth dealer, but he denied being with them the night of the crime or being with either of the other two men involved.
Leimbach was assigned a $7,500 cash bond and will next be in court on June 16 for his preliminary hearing.
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