FISHERS — FISHERS — Three juveniles were arrested Tuesday in connection with hundreds of vehicle break-ins across Indianapolis and Fishers, with police revealing around 200 incidents have been connected to the suspects.
The coordinated arrest involved Fishers Police, IMPD and the FBI's Violent Crimes Task Force. The suspects were driving a stolen vehicle when they were taken into custody in a Fishers neighborhood.
The arrests come after more than 50 car break-ins were reported in Fishers over the weekend, with thieves smashing windows instead of targeting unlocked vehicles as in past incidents.
WATCH | Police investigating dozens of car break-ins across neighborhoods in Fishers
K9 and SWAT officers, as well as drone operators, assisted in the operation to safely apprehend the suspects. Investigators have recovered stolen property, including guns and vehicles taken from victims in both cities. The FBI joined the investigation because the crimes involved stolen firearms and vehicles that crossed jurisdictions.
At a Wednesday press conference, IMPD Chief Chris Bailey emphasized that the suspects were looking for stolen guns and warned the community to stop leaving firearms in vehicles. He urged residents to ensure they have serial numbers recorded for any weapons.
Bailey also questioned where the juveniles' parents were during the crime spree, saying IMPD detectives will investigate whether parents were complicit or aware of what their children were doing and will file charges against parents if warranted.
The FBI reinforced that federal charges will be pursued when appropriate, with IMPD reiterating that federal charges are more severe than local charges and defendants can be held without bond in federal cases.
No update was provided on the specific charges the juveniles currently face.
"Today, we stand united in our aggressive, collaborative efforts to stop criminals from victimizing our residents and wreaking havoc on our community," said Fishers Chief Ed Gebhart.
Bailey praised the multi-agency collaboration, saying it demonstrates what working together makes possible. "By working together, we are able to quickly remove offenders from our streets and better protect the safety and security of our communities," Bailey said.
"These arrests are the result of strong partnerships the FBI has with our local law enforcement colleagues," said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy O'Malley.
The investigation remains active. Fishers residents with information or video surveillance can email fisherspd@fishersin.gov. Indianapolis residents can email IMPD.publicaffairs@indy.gov.
