Two men are facing a stack of preliminary charges after Elkhart police say they caught a masked crew prowling cars at the Old Farm Apartments on Tuesday night. Officers responding to reports of people in ski masks getting into vehicles say they ended up seizing firearms and a stash of stolen items tied to more than a dozen cars. Both suspects were booked into the Elkhart County Jail, and the case is now in the hands of prosecutors for review.
How officers tracked the suspects
Officers were dispatched around 10:53 p.m. to the 3400 block of E. Lane after callers reported two people dressed in all black and wearing ski masks getting into cars, according to a post by the Elkhart Police Department. An officer spotted the pair hiding behind vehicles. One was taken into custody in the 3400 block of E. Lane, while the other ran into a wooded area and was found after a K9 team and a drone-assisted search, police said.
During the chase, officers say a backpack was dropped and later recovered. Inside, they reported finding passports, identification, cologne, jewelry, a handgun and drug paraphernalia. A suspected getaway vehicle parked near the complex was secured for forensic processing while investigators worked on a search warrant.
Evidence seized and preliminary charges
As reported by ABC57, officers saw an AR-style rifle in plain view inside a Cadillac CTS identified near the scene. After obtaining a search warrant, police say they searched the car and recovered wallets, cell phones and other property.
Twenty-year-old Gavin Ernsberger of Goshen was booked on preliminary counts that include theft of a firearm, a Level 5 felony, resisting law enforcement and multiple theft counts. His bond was set at 75,000 dollars. Twenty-one-year-old Isaak Duran of Elkhart was booked on preliminary counts including theft of a firearm, possession of marijuana, resisting law enforcement and possession of paraphernalia, with bond set at 50,000 dollars. Both arrests have been forwarded to the Elkhart County Prosecutor’s Office for review of formal charges.
Community impact and safety advice
Police say about 13 vehicles at the Old Farm Apartments had items taken. At this point, officers report only one car showed signs of forced entry, and many others were believed to have been left unlocked with valuables inside, the department added in a post on the Elkhart Police Department Facebook page.
The Elkhart Police Department again pushed its "Lock. Take. Hide." guidance: lock vehicles, take the keys and hide valuables or move them to the trunk overnight to cut down on easy targets for thieves. The investigation remains active, and police are asking anyone with information to contact the department.
What happens next
Both arrests have been sent to the Elkhart County Prosecutor’s Office for review, and prosecutors will decide whether to file formal charges, according to ABC57. If charges are filed, the case will move through Elkhart County courts while investigators continue developing leads.
