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Authorities say multiple groups of thieves targeting unlocked vehicles in Johnson County

JOHNSON COUNTY, Ind. (WISH) — Authorities urged Johnson County residents to keep vehicles locked and, if possible, parked in garages following a string of unsolved thefts in Greenwood, Whiteland and Franklin neighborhoods. 

At least eight incident reports involving vehicle break-ins were filed Friday morning with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office; more than half the vehicles had been unlocked, according to narratives provided by responding officers.

More than 20 similar incidents have been reported countywide since mid-July. While investigators said some of the thefts could be linked, Sheriff Doug Cox revealed they had learned “troubling information” during a suspect interview that led them to believe multiple groups of criminals were behind the break-ins. 

Authorities did not identify the suspect they spoke to – or which thefts the individual was possibly linked to – but Cox confirmed Sunday a warrant was pending.

The sheriff’s office also released images of the suspect wanted in connection with a Friday morning theft in the 520 block of Shady Lane in Greenwood. The suspect, dressed in a hooded sweatshirt and carrying a backpack, was captured on home security cameras entering an unlocked truck around 2:30 a.m. 

“I can tell you by watching the entire video that the lone suspect gets spooked by the paper delivery person and hides until that carrier goes on down the road,” said Cox. “He then comes out of hiding and commits the theft.” 

Gift and gas cards with a total estimated value of more than $500 were stolen from the truck, according to the owner. 

Home security systems are “valuable,” Cox told News 8, but can easily be thwarted by clever criminals. 

“As we get smarter, so do they,” he said. “It will be hard for law enforcement to catch [some suspects] without the public’s help… Quit leaving keys in the car.”