Police Recover Hundreds of Stolen Vehicles in Indy this Year

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana State Police have been working very hard to track down stolen vehicles.

“So far this year, as a district, we have recovered 336 stolen vehicles since January 1st,” Indiana State Police Sgt. John Perrine says.

Perrine says a stolen vehicle is a “life-changing” event for victims.

“If they can’t get to work, get to the grocery store, or take their children to school, maybe they have personal belongings, such as medications, wallets, or IDs,” he explains. “All of that stuff in the car that are now gone makes life really challenging.”

Perrine says that while their priority is to find the vehicle, the investigations often lead to the recovery of illegal guns, drugs, and other stolen property.

“We’re trying to avoid vehicle pursuits by using technology and cameras,” Perrine says. “We’re able to track these vehicles to areas where we can put ourselves in place to stop them.”

Officers say over 300 people were taken to jail on different criminal charges this year.

“For those people that are choosing to steal cars, we want them to know we’re coming for them,” Perrine added.

To help prevent vehicle theft, Perrine urges everyone to call 911 if their car is stolen. He also reminds the public to always lock their car doors and never leave keys or valuables inside.