Drugs were apparently behind the theft of a charity collection bin from a local Wal-Mart store and other suspected thefts across the area.

Thursday, formal charges were filed against the three suspects.

Steven Hook, Jr., 31, his cousin, Steven Taylor, 27, and Taylor's girlfriend, Kayla Kerr, 21, have each been charged with theft, a class D felony.

The trio was arrested Tuesday in connection with a Riley Children's Hospital Donation Display, that was stolen from the Ireland Road Wal-Mart on Monday morning.

The suspects were found after police tracked down a stolen getaway car used in the Wal-Mart case and several other possible thefts in the area.

Taylor admitted the trio committed a number of grab and dash thefts, particularly to convenience stores, to fuel his drug habit and because hook owed money to a drug dealer.

There were similar thefts to Wal-Mart stores in Elkhart County, but those appear to have been committed by another group of thieves.

Official charging affidavit:

MARK J. ROULE, upon information and belief, affirms under the penalties for perjury, states that:

I am the Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney with the 60th Judicial Circuit, St. Joseph County, State of Indiana, and make this affidavit after reviewing verified South Bend Police reports which were submitted to me.

On February 6, 2012, Officer Millard Hill of the South Bend Police Department responded to the Wal-Mart store located at 700 W. Ireland Rd. in South Ben~, Indiana, for a report of a theft. Upon arriving, he spoke with the manager for Wal-Mart, Wayne Anthony, who advised that a donation box had been set up, placed in a child's wagon near the entrance. The donation box was set up for a benefit collection on behalf of Riley Children's Hospital. Mr. Anthony reported that the donation box did contain United Stated States currency, though the exact amount was unknown.

Mr. Anthony reported that at approximately 7:30 a.m., an unknown male white subject entered the store, grabbed the entire wagon containing the donation box, and fled through the east door. He then entered a red vehicle, believed to be a Ford Taurus, which was occupied by another occupant, and fled. Some parts of the incident were captured by video on Wal-Mart's
security cameras. Detective Scott Bryant of the South Bend Police Department was assigned the case for follow-up investigation. Officers were aware that a maroon Ford Taurus was alleged to be involved in several thefts from convenience stores and gas stations.

Officer Jason Stone located a maroon Ford Taurus, license plate TK2080, in the 1600 block of S. Dale St., in South Bend, Indiana. Upon checking the license plate, he learned that the vehicle had been reported stolen. Officers began conducting surveillance on the vehicle, and ultimately determined the complainant (of the vehicle theft) to be Candace Thomas, who identified the person suspected of taking the vehicle as her boyfriend, STEVEN MICHAEL TAYLOR.

Officers located TAYLOR in the residence at 1616 S. Dale St. In the same residence, officers located KAYLA ELAINE KERR and STEVEN THOMAS HOOK, JR.

Detective Bryant spoke with STEVEN MICHAEL TAYLOR at the South Bend Police Department. The interview was video and audio recorded. TAYLOR indicated that he had relapsed into a drug addiction, and confirmed that he had been committing thefts in the area, along with his cousin, STEVEN THOMAS HOOK, JR., and his cousin's girlfriend, KAYLA ELAINE KERR. TAYLOR reported that, in the majority of the incidents, he would enter a store, grab items (commonly, cartons of cigarettes), and run to a car, where the driver, usually HOOK, would be waiting. TAYLOR confessed to several thefts on February 5th , advising that HOOK accompanied him 0n multiple occasions, and that KERR had been involved on several of the incidents as well. During the interview, Detective Bryant showed TAYLOR surveillance footage from a theft of a donation box at the Wal-Mart store in Mishawaka (unrelated to this present matter), and TAYLOR identified STEVEN THOMAS HOOK, JR., as the person depicted committing the theft.
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TAYLOR advised that he had committed the theft of the donation box from the Wal-Mart store on Ireland Rd. on February 6th. TAYLOR advised that this incident was "not his choice," but that HOOK owed some money to a drug dealer who had "fronted" some dope. TAYLOR stated that he and HOOK had been speaking with the drug dealer, who demanded that they come up with the money. TAYLOR advised that HOOK was the driver, and KERR accompanied them to commit the theft. TAYLOR advised that after committing this, and other thefts, that he, HOOK, and KERR would trade the items for drugs. Detective Bryant subsequently watched the surveillance video provided by Wal-Mart, which did show STEVEN MICHAEL TAYLOR stealing the donation cart. The video also showed KERR walking into the store that same morning.

Detective Bryant spoke with KAYLA ELAINE KERR on February 7th KERR confirmed that she had been present with STEVEN THOMAS HOOK, JR. and STEVEN MICHAEL TAYLOR on multiple occasions when thefts were committed, including being present when the donation box was stolen from Wal-Mart on Ireland Rd. KERR advised that, she was a passenger in the car, and HOOK was the driver. KERR reported that, after the theft, they went to a drug dealer's house. Detective Bryant asked KERR where they had learned about stealing donation boxes, and KERR advised that HOOK's friends had advised them of it. KERR advised that, on February 6th, she was aware that when they went to Wal-Mart, TAYLOR was going to steal something, but was unsure as to what. KERR did admit that, on one of the other occasions, she had been the driver when HOOK and/or TAYLOR had committed a theft of cigarettes.

The State of Indiana asks for a HIGHER than standard bond for the reason that the Defendant herein is a danger to the community, insofar as the State believes the Defendant to be a participant in multiple criminal offenses, with multiple victims. While the State has charged one count only in the present action, the investigation into the other matters referenced above is ongoing, as members of the South Bend Police Department and Mishawaka Police Departments are continuing to identify and investigate the additional matters referenced above. The State expects that the continuing investigation will lead to several additional counts being added to the present action.

In addition, the State notes that STEVEN THOMAS HOOK JR. has two felony matters already pending. HOOK is set for sentencing on March 14,2012, in front of Judge Marnocha, in case 71D08-1107-FD-00553 (Theft, Class D Felony). HOOK also has charges pending, and a trial date of March 5, 2012, in case 71D01-1109-FC-00206 (Battery with a Deadly Weapon, Class C Felony). In addition, HOOK has several convictions, including Robbery, Class C Felony (71DOI 0207-FC-00190); Theft, Class D Felony (71D02-0304-FD-00341); Theft, Class D Felony (71D03-0301-FD-0047); and Theft, Class D Felony / Residential Entry, Class D Felony (71DOl-9903-CF-00086).

I affirm, under the penalties for perjury, that the foregoing representations are true.