Police in Alexandria say a suspicious pickup on a quiet residential block turned into a massive tool haul, with officers seizing roughly $200,000 in new, boxed merchandise on March 2. Two people were arrested and later charged after investigators linked the stash to thefts at major big-box retailers across central Indiana. Officers say they first spotted a man moving goods from a garage into a truck in the Madison County city.
Responding to a call about a suspicious truck in the 1000 block of North Harrison Street, officers found items they later tied to thefts from Home Depot, Lowe’s and Meijer, according to WTHR. Authorities estimate the recovered merchandise at about $200,000. Police arrested David S. Eldridge and Amy Verbryck, and the Madison County Prosecutor’s Office has since charged both with organized retail theft, theft and corrupt business influence, the outlet reports.
Retail Theft Is Growing Nationwide
The Alexandria bust tracks with a broader spike in organized retail crime that has retailers and law enforcement on edge. A 2024 study from the National Retail Federation reports that shoplifting incidents and total losses have climbed sharply since 2019. Loss-prevention experts say power tools and home-improvement gear are among the hottest items for professional thieves, according to the National Retail Federation.
Legal Exposure
The corrupt business influence charge is no minor add-on. Prosecutors typically use the statute when they claim a pattern of racketeering activity, and under Indiana law it can bring felony penalties along with possible civil claims from victims. The elements of corrupt business influence and its potential penalties are laid out in state statute and appellate rulings, as detailed in Indiana case law.
What’s Next
Police say the seized merchandise has been traced to multiple retail thefts throughout central Indiana and that the investigation is still active, according to WTHR. Court records and bond information were not immediately available. Any formal filings will be handled by the Madison County Prosecutor’s Office. Alexandria sits about 55 miles northeast of downtown Indianapolis.
