A 16-year-old Evansville boy faces felony charges of attempted burglary and theft in juvenile court after the sheriff’s office said he swiped cash and expensive items from cars in a Vanderburgh County neighborhood while stalking around in a “clown-like mask.”
A news release from the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office said the boy’s parents turned him into authorities on Monday after recognizing him in surveillance footage that had been shared around social media in recent days.
The release doesn’t name the boy. Juveniles charged with lower level crimes usually aren’t publicly identified.
He’s preliminarily charged with two counts of attempted burglary as a Level 4 felony; a Level 6 felony count of theft; and misdemeanor charges of theft and attempted theft. He was “transported to the Youth Care Center and is being held pending further proceedings in Vanderburgh County Juvenile Court,” the release states.
The incidents reportedly began June 19, when two residents of the Wellington Acres neighborhood told investigators someone had rifled through their vehicles overnight, stealing cash, a laptop and “designer handbags.”
“Home surveillance footage captured video of the suspect wearing a clown-like mask at the scene,” the release states. “Sheriff’s deputies later discovered the mask discarded on the roadway.”
Three days later, different residents in the same neighborhood gave deputies surveillance footage reportedly showing a “masked individual” trying to open locked vehicles and garage doors. One of them said two window screens on their house had been removed.
Some of that footage was later shared on social media. According to the release, the boy’s parents recognized him in the images and brought him to the sheriff’s operations center on Monday.
“The juvenile provided a full confession during an interview with detectives,” the release states. “A search warrant was executed at the suspect’s residence, where investigators recovered multiple stolen items. … All recovered property will be processed and returned to its rightful owners.”
In the release, Sheriff Noah Robinson praised the boy’s parents for turning him in.
“Their decision to bring their child forward not only aided our investigation, but also gave this young person an opportunity to face consequences and access the resources available through juvenile court,” Robinson’s quoted as saying. “Indiana’s juvenile justice system is designed not only to hold youth accountable, but also to rehabilitate and redirect them toward a more positive path. That process often starts at home with parental responsibility.”
Clown sightings
It’s not the first time someone has reportedly walked darkened local streets dressed like a clown.
In September 2016, Evansville area authorities fielded at least 30 reports of people clad in clown attire either wandering around at night or, at worst, chasing unsuspected residents.
Every time police were dispatched, however, they found no clowns in sight. It was all part of a surge of spurious clown sightings that fall that popped up everywhere from Wales to Downtown Evansville.
In a statement to the Courier & Press at the time, now-retired EPD Deputy Chief Andy Chandler warned residents against walking around dressed in scary masks, especially if they’re trying to startle someone.
“There is the risk of injury or a fight developing from that,” he said.
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Evansville boy in ‘clown-like mask’ arrested, charged with theft
Reporting by Jon Webb, Evansville Courier & Press / Evansville Courier & Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
