String of vehicle thefts believed to be connected; investigation continues

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Seymour police continue to search for a gray 2007 Toyota Yaris stolen early Thursday morning on the city’s south side.

The theft was part of a series of incidents involving five vehicles thefts, reported between 6 and 7 a.m. Thursday.

Three of the vehicles were stolen within the city, while the other two reportedly were stolen from Clark and Washington counties, but recovered in Seymour, Detective C.J. Foster said.

Foster said he believes the thefts are connected.

“My gut (feeling) is that all these vehicle thefts are related somehow,” he said.

The investigation began with a report of a silver Ford Edge left outside Bible Holiness Church at 14th Street and Shields Avenue. Police received that report at about 6 a.m. Thursday.

“We ran the license plate and it was stolen out of Clark County,” Foster said of the Ford Edge. “Particularly, it was out of Charlestown.”

A witness said a motorist pulled up to the church and then got into a black Cadillac that matched the description of a vehicle reported stolen on Dale Road near Seymour-Redding Elementary School . The Cadillac was later found in the area of Fifth Street and Lee Boulevard on Seymour’s west side, Foster said.

Another vehicle a few blocks away from the church was recovered and had been reported stolen out of Salem.

Evidence from the recovered vehicles have been sent to a lab in Indianapolis to be tested for fingerprints, DNA samples and other forensic tests.

Seymour police also received a report of a red Jeep Liberty being taken from a residence in Kessler Boulevard area and the Yaris, which was reportedly stolen from a residence on Cardinal Drive, Seymour Police Chief Bill Abbott said.

The license plate number for the 2007 Toyota Yaris is IJB493.

Police said owners of all three of the vehicles taken in Seymour had started them to allow them to warm up before they went work.

Abbott said vehicle owners should remember not to leave idling vehicles unattended and to keep vehicles locked and parked in well-lit areas.

He said valuables should be kept out of sight and to keep track of who has keys and access to vehicles.

“Don’t leave keys in the ignition, even if it’s parked in an attached garage,” he said.

City police also are investigating the theft of a vehicle that was not operable from a home. The man reporting that theft Saturday told police he had not been in the area of the vehicle in about a week, so it’s unclear whether it could be connected to the other thefts, Sgt. Jack Swindell said.

Anyone with information about its location or the thefts may call Seymour Police Department at 812-522-1234.

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