Homeowners are breathing a sigh of relief after Hendricks County Sheriff’s deputies arrested an Indianapolis man suspected of breaking into cars in neighborhoods.
Ishmael Alim Muhammad, 20, was charged with theft, unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle, marijuana possession and resisting law enforcement.
Deputies say vigilant homeowners called to report suspicious activity on Amber Lane, in the Eagle Crossing subdivision, after they witnessed the suspect breaking into cars.
The homeowners were able to give deputies a good description of the suspect and his vehicle, as well as the direction he was headed.
According to the incident report, the deputy began to search nearby neighborhood Tall Grass and saw someone looking into David Lyon’s white pick-up truck.
“A deputy was coming down the street and saw a person in my truck and asked him if he lived there,” said Lyons.
Muhammad ran from deputies and had to be tackled to the ground after he wouldn’t respond to commands from officers, records show.
The suspect had a burglary tool, marijuana, a knife, ammunition, as well as a camera belonging to Lyons.
“My garage door opener was in there, and it just makes you realize it could have been so much worse than someone snatching and grabbing for drugs or whatever,” said Lyons. “You get lulled into a security feeling and it’s just not that way anymore.”
Lyons said he blames himself because he left his truck unlocked with valuables inside.
“It was cold and rain, and I did the one thing I never do, and that’s leave my truck unlocked,” said Lyons.
Lyons is thankful to the vigilant homeowners who called law enforcement and for the deputies who fought with the suspect.
One of the homeowners who called told Call 6 Investigates he learned at a community meeting to report any suspicious activity to police.
Alex Steininger is grateful his neighbors look out for one another.
He lives in Williamsburg Village, which is located close to the arrest and also plagued with recent car break-ins.
“People are fed up with it right now,” said Steininger. “This is a very close knit community.”
Steininger is trying to revitalize the neighborhood watch program, and is taking to the community’s Facebook page to educate his neighbors about properly lighting their homes and using their garages.
"One of the things i tell people is park your car inside, i park my car inside every night,” said Steininger. “Lock your car up, take your valuables inside, use some lights and if possible clean out your garage and park your car in your garage.”
