Jay police busted long-running theft ring

Thirty years ago this week, a group of alleged thieves was being rounded up.

The July 29, 1993, edition of The Commercial Review featured coverage of local police busting a theft ring that was suspected of stealing nearly $1 million in goods in Indiana and Ohio.

Police in Jay County teamed up with Indiana State Police and the FBI on a month-long investigation that included confidential informants. Among the stolen items recovered were a backhoe, 15 riding lawn mowers and a 2-ton dump truck, part of the haul that was suspected to have been taken over a three-year period. The list also included a semi load of shoes.

“They were destined for Kmart,” said Jay County Sheriff Kip Robinette. “Tennis shoes, work shoes, assorted shoes.”

The recovered items led to police issuing warrants for at least four men who lived in the Pennville area, among several others. Some of the individuals involved also had warrants issued regarding incidents in Blackford and Madison counties.

Police reported that a theft ring had struck in an area bordered by Warsaw to the north, Columbus and Seymour to the south, Grant County to the West and Wapakoneta, Ohio, to the east. (The Wapakoneta theft featured half a semi load of Procter & Gamble Co. laundry detergent and fabric softener.)

Jay County police had started their investigation in late June after a complaint regarding a semi license plate being stolen.

“From that, it developed into a whole mess,” said Jay County Sheriff’s Department investigator Mitch Sutton. “We did some checking into things … and it turned out the license plate was supposed to be on a (stolen truck trailer).”

One of those involved in the theft ring tipped off police.

“Two of the bad guys had a disagreement, so one of the people came forward,” said Robinette.