RICO INDICTMENT FILED ON BROTHERS STEALING COPPER PIPES, COILS, AND EVAPORATORS FROM HOUSES IN FORECLOSURE AND/OR FOR SALE THROUGHOUT NUMEROUS CENTRAL OHIO COUNTIES

Posted on 3/29/2016

Defendant: Walter Thomas Littler and Michael James Nibert, Jr.

Prosecutor Ron O’Brien announced today that the Franklin County Grand Jury has returned a RICO indictment against two brothers, Walter Thomas Littler, age 41, and Michael James Nibert, Jr., age 30, for fifty-five counts including Engaging in a Pattern of Corrupt Activity, Burglary, Theft, Possessing Criminal Tools, and Breaking and Entering.  Between September 29, 2011 and June 17, 2014, it is alleged that Littler and Nibert broke into houses that were in foreclosure and/or for sale and stole copper pipes, lineset, heat pump evaporators, and furnace a-coils.    These thefts were occurring predominately in Franklin County, but also in Fairfield, Union, and Delaware Counties.  The brothers were caught following police surveillance and the police placing a GPS device on Nibert’s truck.  “These suspects were linked to over 35 breaking and entering locations and the property loss is valued at more than $100,000”, O’Brien stated.  Arraignments for both Littler and Nibert will be set at later dates at 345 S. High Street.