INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Police are seeking the public’s help in identifying three men caught on camera stealing more than a dozen car batteries from three different body shops on the near east side of Indianapolis.
“It’s just a pain in the a**,” said United Auto Sales owner Tracey Frye.
That’s how one owner feels after seeing three guys on surveillance rummaging through his parking lot Saturday morning on Southeastern Ave.
“We came in this morning and found out our delivery truck was broken into. Somebody was trying to steal the whole truck. Then we started looking, and they stole a bunch of batteries out of all of these vehicles,” said Frye.
He says at least 10 to 12 batteries were stolen. The owners next door say four were taken from each body shop, and it all happened within a matter of minutes.
“It ain’t the batteries, it’s just the principle. You know, they didn’t unbolt the batteries, they cut the cables, so I’ve got to repair a bunch of cars,” said Frye.
In the surveillance video from United Auto, you can see one crook run across the parking lot with what appears to be two car batteries. Next door, you can see three of them working to get the battery out of a car. At each business, the thieves cut through a chain-linked fence to gain access.
“I mean, I’ve got to repair all of my fences. I mean, they cut the barbed wire down at the other end,” said Frye.
In the meantime, he’s taking cars to a pole barn so he isn’t out of any more money. But he also has a message for the crooks, if they’re looking for payroll.
“If they want to work that hard, hell, they can come up here. I’ll give them a job,” said Frye.
