GRAND ISLAND, Neb. — A Wood River man has been arrested for vandalizing and stealing from gaming machines at two laundromats in Grand Island.
According to Grand Island Police Department Division Chief Dean Elliott, Brian Petersen, 33, of Wood River, is facing charges related to incidents in August and September 2025.
The first incident occurred at 4:36 a.m. Aug. 29 at a laundromat on 503 N. Pine St., where officers discovered two damaged gambling slot machines and all the cash inside had been stolen.
The second incident happened on Sept. 14 at a laundromat on 716 St. Paul Road, where two gaming machines were damaged after the business opened and cash was taken.
Petersen faces felony theft by unlawful taking ($1,500–$4,999) and two counts of misdemeanor criminal mischief.
Police said Petersen had turned himself in for a traffic warrant on Nov. 26 at the Hall County Corrections Department. During an interview, officers obtained information linking him to the gaming machine thefts from August and September.
