Police: Thief wanted holiday cash

ZIONSVILLE, Ind. - Three people are under arrest for stealing band instruments from Zionsville High School. Police said one suspect, a former Zionsville High School student, wanted cash for the holidays.

Zionsville band students played scales on their newly-returned instruments Thursday. The seven instruments, worth $16,000, went missing November 9.

"It's great to have it back, going to be really happy to get back and play in the band," said Zionsville band student Chloe Griffiths.

Investigators had a pretty good idea of who stole the instruments. Security cameras caught their images and anonymous tips started coming in. The tips led investigators to three Ball State students, one of whom, Shawn Blankenship, was a former Zionsville High School student.

"The initial intent, what we're finding, of the theft was for fast cash. And they planned on sitting on the items for a short period of time and then selling them on eBay," said R.J. Anderson of the Zionsville Police Department.

Blankenship reportedly helped investigators recover the instruments from a basement of a North Manchester home.

Shawn Blankenship, Julia Smith and John Gillium all face burglary and theft charges. They will be tried as adults, since all three are 20 years old.