A late-night holdup at the Speedway convenience store on U.S. 52 in New Palestine ended two days later with an arrest in Greenwood, after investigators say they tracked the suspect across Central Indiana. Authorities identified the man as 26-year-old Steven Dillard Jr. of Indianapolis.
According to a post from the Greenfield Police Department, New Palestine investigators pulled together footage from Flock cameras, other video surveillance and community tips to zero in on Dillard. The robbery was reported just after 10 p.m. Tuesday at the Speedway located at 5058 W U.S. 52 in New Palestine, per MapQuest. Officers later took the suspect into custody without incident.
How police tracked the suspect
As Axios has reported, Flock Safety operates a vast network of automated license-plate readers that thousands of law-enforcement agencies now rely on to help identify vehicles more quickly in investigations. The technology has also sparked ongoing questions from privacy advocates. Investigators in this case said hits from those cameras, combined with additional surveillance video and tips from residents, helped narrow the field and steer officers to Greenwood.
Arrest in Greenwood and interagency response
New Palestine police said officers located Dillard in Greenwood on Thursday and arrested him without incident, according to the Greenfield Police Department's Facebook post. The department publicly thanked the Hancock County Sheriff's Office, Greenwood and Greenfield police departments and the Indiana Fusion Center for assisting with the case, calling it a team effort from multiple agencies. The post also reminded readers that "all suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law."
What’s next
Police credited community members for sharing tips that helped move the investigation along and said the case remains active. Authorities have not yet released specific information about potential charges or upcoming court dates.
