Posted Thursday, July 19, 2012 --- 2:56 p.m.

Press Release from the Dane Co. Sheriff's Office:

Madison, WI. July 19, 2012 – Dane County Sheriff’s deputies have arrested a man wanted in several area vending machine thefts. Steven M. Crisman, age 25 of Stoughton, was taken into custody after he was caught stealing money out of vending machines at a local hotel.

Sheriff’s deputies responded to a robbery call at the Magnuson Grand Hotel, located at 3510 Millpond Road in the town of Blooming Grove, at noon today. They arrived to find Crisman being held by the hotel manager, who had caught him in the act of breaking into the hotel’s vending machines. According to the manager and two other hotel employees, Crisman had first approached the front desk to inquire about room rates; he then made a telephone call and walked away. When the hotel manager heard the sound of someone opening the vending machines, he went to investigate and confronted Crisman. Crisman attempted to flee, but the manager stepped in front of him and blocked his path. After a short struggle, the manager was able to restrain Crisman and held him until law enforcement arrived.

Crisman was wanted by several law enforcement agencies, including Stoughton, McFarland, and Fitchburg, for vending machine thefts. When deputies took him into custody, they found two vending machine master keys in his possession, as well as cash he had taken from the machines. He was also armed with a pocketknife. Crisman will be booked into the Dane County Jail on charges of Theft, Disorderly Conduct While Armed, and Illegal Entry of a Lock Box.