POLICE NEWS: Insurance employee charged with theft

Aimee Ambrose, Goshen News, Ind.
·4 min read

Mar. 31—An Elkhart woman has been accused of stealing customers' money at a local insurance agency while struggling with an addiction.

Hillary Caceres, 33, is charged with a Level 6 felony count of theft in a case filed Monday. A warrant has been issued for her, according to court information.

Goshen police began an investigation last October when allegations were made that Caceres, as an employee at the Timothy Doud Allstate Insurance office, was taking money paid by clients. The alleged thefts were uncovered after clients had complained about payments not being deposited, details in the probable cause affidavit in the case show.

The agency lost more than $1,300 from about Aug. 25 through Sept. 21. Three clients had paid for services, but their money wasn't deposited, while a fourth client's payment was posted from another client's card, according to the affidavit.

Caceres initially denied the thefts when a detective first interviewed her, but allegedly admitted she was addicted to heroin, the affidavit shows.

But, Caceres later spoke to police again, with the affidavit saying she contacted the detective on her own to admit she took the money. She allegedly said she thought she could pay the funds back, but couldn't because of her addiction, according to police in the document.

The case was filed in Elkhart County Superior Court 6.

ARRESTS

—Austin Lovely, 23, 53160 Beverly Hills Drive, Middlebury, was arrested by Elkhart police and jailed on a charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated after police responded to a crash where a car struck two parked vehicles at 3404 East Lane around 2:20 a.m. Tuesday.

—Jean Figueroa Rivera, 20, Brookside Manor, Goshen, was arrested by Goshen police and jailed on charges of resisting law enforcement, possession of marijuana and driving without a license as well as on a warrant following a vehicle pursuit that began in the 1000 block of Player Drive around 1:10 a.m. Tuesday.

—Jamie Carey, 28, Howe, was arrested by LaGrange County police and jailed on charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia following a traffic stop at 4500 W. 750 North near Shipshewana around 9:30 p.m. Monday.

—Evelyn Garcia Garcia, 18, 104 Winchester Trail, Goshen, and Eloina Hernandez Quiroz, 19, 611 S. Third St., Goshen, were arrested by Goshen police each on a charge of possession of marijuana at Rogers Park, 102 Chicago Ave., around 9:30 p.m. Monday. Garcia Garcia and Hernandez Quiroz were then released at the scene with citations to appear in court.

—Raul Varela Guzman, 19, 801 N. Cavin St., Ligonier, was arrested by Elkhart County police and jailed on charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, possession of marijuana and illegal consumption of alcohol after police responded to a crash at 10315 C.R. 146 in Millersburg around 7:30 p.m. Monday.

—Steven Willis, 39, 2509 Mather Ave., Elkhart, was arrested by Elkhart County police and jailed on a charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated around 9:30 a.m. Monday. Police said Willis had crashed a vehicle into a tree along C.R. 27 north of U.S. 20.

—Xzavier Talley, 48, 217 S. 28th St., Goshen, was arrested by Middlebury police and jailed on a charge of domestic battery after police responded to an incident in the 200 block of York Drive in Middlebury around 7:50 p.m. Saturday.

THEFTS

—Devon Ezzell, Goshen, reported to Goshen police his vehicle was stolen from his driveway, 165 Post Court, sometime between 4 a.m. and 7:10 p.m. Monday.

—A Goshen woman reported to Goshen police her vehicle was stolen during an incident in the 1200 block of East Jackson Street around 6 p.m. Monday.

—Staff at Forest River RV reported to Elkhart County police a Salem 24RLXL recreational vehicle was stolen from company property, 11555 Harter Drive, in Middlebury. The theft was discovered around 8 a.m. Monday, according to a police report.

—Chloie Champion reported to Elkhart County police Monday her 2003 Ford Taurus was taken without permission from a home, 22231 Fenmore Ave., on March 15.

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF

—Staff at Courtyard of Goshen reported to Goshen police a rock was thrown at a glass door, damaging it, at the facility, 2400 College Ave., around 5:10 a.m. Tuesday.

—Lyle Rohrer, Goshen, reported to Goshen police Monday part of his garage, 613 S. Ninth St., had been spray painted.

HIT-AND-RUN

Nicole Free reported to Elkhart County police her car was struck by an SUV at C.R. 38 and C.R. 19 around 7:45 a.m. Monday. The driver of the SUV then left the scene without stopping, according to the report.