A pair of suspected thieves targeted a truck parked outside Franklin Street Tavern on Evansville's West Side, and now the bar is turning to the public to help put names to their faces. Employees at the tavern say two people broke into the vehicle and made off with items from inside before anyone could stop them.
According to 14 News, a Franklin Street Tavern employee shared photos of the suspected thieves on social media in hopes that someone could identify them. The bar is asking the public to message its social media accounts with any information about the pair's identities, and says it plans to pass along whatever it learns to the Evansville Police Department. Franklin Street Tavern sits at 2126 W. Franklin St., right in the heart of the West Franklin Street commercial and entertainment corridor on Evansville's West Side.
A Festival Is About to Draw Crowds
The timing could mean a busy week for businesses in the area. The West Side Nut Club Fall Festival spans multiple blocks and draws more than 200,000 visitors annually. It is set to run October 5 through 10 this year.
What Charges Could Look Like
Whether the truck break-in results in criminal charges, and how serious those charges might be, depends heavily on what was taken and its value. Under Indiana Code § 35-43-4-2, theft is generally a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a $5,000 fine, but theft becomes a Level 6 felony, carrying six months to 2.5 years in prison, if the stolen items are motor vehicle component parts or if the property is worth at least $750 but less than $50,000; theft of property worth $50,000 or more is a Level 5 felony, according to FindLaw. The statute also mandates a felony upgrade if a suspect has a prior unrelated conviction for theft, criminal conversion, robbery, or burglary.
Anyone who recognizes the suspects can message Franklin Street Tavern directly, but tips can also go straight to investigators. The Evansville Police Department's Adult Investigation Unit handles felony property crimes and can be reached at (812) 436-7979, according to the Evansville Police Department.
Property Crime in Evansville
The alleged truck break-in is a property-crime incident in Evansville.
Franklin Street Tavern is turning to its social media followers and neighbors along West Franklin Street to help identify the suspects before the festival crowds arrive.
