Wood River man going through costs in gaming machine thefts

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (KSNB) – A Wood River man is going through a number of costs after he’s accused of vandalizing and stealing from gaming machines or Video Lottery Terminals (VLTs) at Grand Island laundromats.

Brian Petersen, 33, is charged in Hall County Court with two counts of theft by illegal taking and three counts of prison mischief. Three of these costs are felonies as a result of the quantity taken or the vandalism exceeded $5,000.

According to the Grand Island Police Department (GIPD), Petersen is accused of vandalizing two playing slot machines on the laundromat at 503 N. Pine St. in Grand Island in August.

GIPD Division Chief Dean Elliott stated two slot machines on the facility had been broken, inflicting about $3,000 in injury, and about $3,500 was taken.

In September, Petersen is accused of doing the identical factor on the Lucky Duck Laundromat on St. Paul Road.

Elliott stated there was an estimated $15,000 in injury to the machines, with models having to be fully taken aside. Less than $1,000 was taken from the 2 machines.

Below is a narrative from September when police shared a picture displaying a few of the injury accomplished from the string of vandalism.

Elliott stated thus far this 12 months, they’ve had between eight to 10 gaming machines being vandalized or had cash taken from them.

These kinds of incidents occur at 24/7 laundromats the place usually there’s not an individual on obligation always, in contrast with a fuel station.

Elliott stated they had been capable of get sufficient proof to make an arrest concerning these particular instances.

Petersen appeared in Hall County Court Monday, the place his bond was set at 10 p.c of $10,000.

His preliminary listening to is ready for Jan. 8 at 11 a.m.

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