Specialized equipment thefts in Indiana
As part of a long-term investigation with numerous law enforcement agencies in Indiana and one in Ohio; two individuals were arrested in November, 2020, in Ohio after allegedly stealing a John Deere Gator from a John Deere dealership and utilizing a stolen trailer from Indiana. NICB agent provided assistance in the identification of stolen property, associated insurance claims, and in the collection and dissemination of intelligence in a lengthy follow-up investigation with investigators from multiple law enforcement agencies in Indiana. These efforts resulted in the location and recovery of several stolen pieces of specialized equipment, trailers, campers, boats, and John Deere Gators. The John Deere Gators, boats and campers all had been stolen from dealerships throughout Indiana and at least one in western Ohio. Recoveries have been made on all known stolen property which were located at the addresses linked to the suspects. The approximate value of the recovered property is $160,000. Recently, additional criminal charges have been filed against both individuals in the jurisdictions where the offenses occurred in Indiana and Ohio. Additional criminal charges are likely forthcoming as further information is developed.