String of vehicle, garage break-ins hit near north side neighborhood

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Several people living in the St. Joseph Historic Neighborhood on downtowns near north side were shocked they woke up as crime victims.

“I was disappointed you know,” said Bill Kessler. “It happens all over the place but it happened to me and it happened here.”

What happened was two nights ago somebody busted through the window of Kessler’s SUV as it was parked outside his businesses along St. Joseph Street near Pennsylvania Avenue. We met him as a repairman was replacing the window.

Kessler swears there was nothing even visible worth stealing. He was one of five vehicle break-ins reported in the area in the past two days.

“I don’t know what I could do differently other than to pull it in the garage every night which I should have done in the first place,” he said.

Unfortunately sometimes that’s not enough.

I came out to our garage this morning to find that our garage door was wide open,” said Dan, a homeowner who lives near 10th Stret and Alabama Street.

He said someone broke in through his garage’s side door then broke into him and his wife’s cars.

“Our belongings were strewn all throughout the alley back there,” he said.

He said as officers dusted the scene for finger prints he learned he wasn’t alone.

“As (the officer) was helping she started to get calls that another break-in had happened,” he said.

Two blocks away near Sahm Street and Fort Wayne Street, four neighboring garages were hit as well.

Victims said the suspect jumped over a fence, entering again through the back door before smashing into several more cars.

“It’s disappointing that something like this would happen especially down here in Indy,” Dan said.

Both Dan and Kessler say they’ve never been victimized before and have always felt safe. Despite what happened to both of them, they still feel that way. They’re just hopeful police catch who’s behind it all.

“God forbid I was the one to catch them,” said Kessler. “It would be different.”

None of the victims had a description of the suspect.

Kessler’s SUV turned out to be one of at least five reported broken into while parked outside the past two nights.

Anyone who thinks they might have info that can help police can call Crime Stoppers at 317-262-TIPS.