As residents of a Greenwood neighborhood were waking up to find their vehicles ransacked and broken into, police say they were arresting two adults and a juvenile in the thefts.
James D. Carrico, 27, Beech Grove, was arrested on a charge of auto theft, theft, burglary, leaving the scene of an accident, resisting arrest and a warrant. Chase D. Witt, 23, Indianapolis, was arrested on a charge of theft, trespassing and a warrant.
A juvenile with the two men was taken to the Johnson County Juvenile Detention Center.
The men were arrested in thefts reported from multiple vehicles in the Valle Vista neighborhood, located off Smith Valley Road, east of U.S. 31. At least four residents reported thefts on Sunday that had happened overnight.
The night before, police were called to at least three homes in the Homecoming neighborhood, near Griffith Road and Main Street on the city’s east side, where at least one vehicle window was smashed and items were stolen from two vehicles.
Just after 6 a.m. Sunday, police were called to Valle Vista, where a resident reported seeing a man going through vehicles. Another neighbor had seen a vehicle on the road that had driven away quickly when she turned on her lights, according to the Greenwood police report.
Officers then saw a vehicle matching the description driving through the neighborhood. The vehicle drove off the road, crashing into a fire hydrant, and the driver ran from police, the report said.
Police ordered Witt and the juvenile out of the vehicle and onto the ground at gunpoint. Carrico ran through yards and jumped fences before he was arrested, the report said.
Officers found that the vehicle the three were in had been stolen in Indianapolis. Inside the vehicle, officers found items reported stolen from other vehicles in the Valle Vista neighborhood, including a vehicle registration, prescription medication, cameras and gift cards, the report said.
Witt and Carrico were taken to the Johnson County jail.
Carrico, 64 N. Sixth St., Apt. 4, was held on $7,000 bond. Witt, 4332 E. Cragmont Drive, was held on $2,200 bond.
