Indiana State Police investigators have recovered construction equipment valued at more than $500,000 at several Madison County locations in what was described as a “highly organized” theft ring, the Anderson Herald Bulletin has reported.
The newspaper said that state police recovered several pieces of equipment at a property in the 4000 block of Indiana 9, including two skid loaders, five stolen trucks and two wreckers. Police also recovered bath tubs, toilets and sinks, and an assortment of hand tools.
Later in the day at another location, investigators found a stolen excavator and two more stolen trucks; an excavator and truck police found left in a public lot also proved to be stolen, according to the state police statement.
About 5 p.m., police executed a search warrant at a house in the 2300 block of East Lynn Street, Madison County chief deputy prosecutor Steve Koester told the newspaper.
“I would say it was a highly organized theft ring,” with multiple victims, he added. Most of the items found here in Madison County were stolen from elsewhere in Indiana.
Events began unfolding about 6:30 p.m. Monday when Indiana State Police in Pendleton received a call from a man saying he’d found construction equipment on the Indiana 9 property that was stolen from his company earlier in the day. Investigators obtained a warrant to search the property.
Koester said the landowner rented the property, which includes a pole barn and other out buildings, in January.
He stressed the property owner is not a suspect in the thefts and has cooperated with state police investigators.
Koester said no arrests have yet been made, but he hopes that will change in the next couple of days as police piece together more details in the case.
Meanwhile, ISP investigators and the Madison County Prosecutor’s Office need help from the general public in identifying the location of possibly stolen equipment. In addition, they want to speak with contractors throughout central Indiana who have had construction equipment and supplies stolen.
