A string of armed robberies that hit gas stations and a food truck across Indianapolis's west, east and northeast sides has ended with a 15-year-old and two 18-year-old men facing felony charges, including burglary and armed robbery. Investigators say the spree, which began in early September, involved an AR-style pistol, a short-barrel rifle, and more than $3,000 stolen from several businesses.
A Food Truck Stickup Sets Off the Investigation
According to court documents cited by Fox 59, the case traces back to a robbery report on the far east side on September 8, when Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers were dispatched to a food truck just before midnight after a delayed call came in. Investigators say the robbers demanded money straight from the food truck's cash register, and one suspect pointed an AR-style pistol at the business owner before the group made off with $300 in cash.
Twelve days later, on September 20, IMPD officers responded to a robbery at a Shell gas station on the east side. Two suspects got out of a brown Kia Soul and walked into the store, the station's report notes — one armed with a short-barrel rifle, the other carrying a pistol. The pistol-wielding suspect fired a round toward the store clerk before the pair fled eastbound on 34th Street with more than $400 from the register, reportedly. Officers later recognized the same face masks from that robbery in surveillance footage tied to earlier incidents.
Masked Men Hit a West-Side Gas Station
Four days after the Shell station robbery, on September 24, officers were called to a gas station robbery in progress on the west side. Three masked men entered the store armed, with one pointing a gun at the clerk while two others acted as lookouts near the entrance. The group fled with $1,000 in cash, per court documents.
Two more gas station robberies followed over the next two days, totaling another $1,000 stolen. The spree reached a turning point on September 25, when officers were called to the 4500 block of West Washington Street for a weapon disturbance, where three masked people had pointed a gun at a victim. Responding officers identified three juveniles matching the descriptions of the robbery suspects at that scene.
Detentions Lead to Multiple Arrests
Officers detained everyone present and took four people in for questioning, discovering a black pistol tucked into one juvenile's waistband. An FBI Violent Crimes Task Force detective, whose involvement reflects how federal agents regularly pair with IMPD on multi-jurisdictional armed robbery sprees, spoke with all of the detainees, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Indiana.
Among those questioned was 18-year-old Stephvon Lillard, who court documents say allegedly matched the physical description of one of the robbers, and who the detective's interview tied to the broader string of robberies. A 15-year-old was also spotted wearing the same jacket seen in robbery surveillance video, and his backpack reportedly contained black pants matching those worn during the heists. The teen reportedly told investigators he had bought his gun from someone at school.
The juvenile and Lillard were taken into custody and now face ten felony charges between them, ranging from criminal recklessness to burglary with a deadly weapon, per the same account. A third suspect, 18-year-old Krishawn Petty, was later identified through the interview process and arrested. Petty faces preliminary charges of burglary with a deadly weapon, a Level 2 felony, along with armed robbery and attempted armed robbery, both Level 3 felonies.
What the Charges Could Mean in Court
The felony levels carry significant weight under Indiana law. Burglary committed while armed with a deadly weapon is a Level 2 felony carrying a sentencing range of 10 to 30 years in prison with an advisory sentence of 17.5 years and a fine of up to $10,000, according to Justia Law. Robbery committed while armed with a deadly weapon is a Level 3 felony punishable by 3 to 16 years, escalating to a Level 2 felony with 10 to 30 years if it causes serious bodily injury, per Razumich & Associates, PC.
Because Level 2 and Level 3 felony robbery and burglary are designated statutory crimes of violence under Indiana law, judges face restrictions on their ability to suspend prison time below statutory minimums for defendants with prior felony or juvenile records, according to Justia Law. That designation applies to Lillard and Petty as adult defendants.
The 15-year-old's case follows a different legal track. Under Indiana law, juvenile courts automatically relinquish jurisdiction over 16- and 17-year-olds charged with armed robbery, but prosecutors must formally file a discretionary waiver petition before a 15-year-old can be tried in adult court, according to FindLaw. Separately, Indiana's Children and Firearms statute treats dangerous possession of a firearm by a minor as a Class A misdemeanor for a first offense, escalating to a Level 5 felony carrying up to six years if the minor has prior handgun adjudications, per Keffer Hirschauer LLP.
A Spree Amid Falling Crime Numbers
The case lands against a backdrop of overall declining violent crime in Indianapolis. IMPD crime statistics showed an 18% decline in robbery offenses citywide in 2025 compared to 2024, alongside a 20% drop in homicides and a 21% drop in non-fatal shootings, according to WTHR, which credited targeted violence reduction initiatives and joint task force operations for the citywide drops.
Even so, IMPD has been stretched thin. The department operated with 1,489 active officers against a budgeted target of 1,843 as of late 2025, a shortfall of more than 350 officers across the six districts patrolling Marion County, according to Guardian Protection. That staffing gap underscores the operational strain officers faced while chasing down a fast-moving spree that crossed multiple districts in just over two weeks.
The case also fits a broader statewide pattern. Indiana Criminal Justice Institute data reported in 2026 showed that direct court filings for youth involved in serious violent offenses, including murder and armed robbery, rose substantially in fiscal year 2025 compared to fiscal year 2024, according to WBAA. Whether the 15-year-old's case will move beyond juvenile court remains unresolved, pending any formal waiver petition from prosecutors.
