Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Monday, April 7, 2014
(GREENE CO.) - An arrest warrant has been issued for a Springville Man who allegedly burglarized a home three times in 2013.
The owners captured images of the criminal on a trail camera they set up on their kitchen stove.
Greene County Police Detectives interviewed 22-year-old Joseph Hammer, who admitted to entering the home and taking numerous items including a gun and prescription medication.
A warrant was issued out of Greene Superior Court on Thursday afternoon for Hammer's arrest on preliminary felony charges of three counts of burglary and four counts of theft, all class D felonies.
The burglaries and thefts allegedly occurred on May 5, September 1, October 1, and December 29, all in 2013.
The Greene County Daily World reports, after the first three burglaries, the resident, Donald Bruce, and his wife Sophia, had gone to Bloomington on Dec. 29, but before they left their home, Donald Bruce closed and locked his bedroom door, wiping down the doorknob and placing a piece of tape from the door to the door frame. He also wiped down a container of prescription medication, and he said "as usual" he placed his trail camera on the stove.
When they returned, they noticed their front storm door was partially ajar, the prescription bottle had been moved, medication was missing, the tape was gone off the bedroom door and the door had been damaged near the doorknob.
They called the sheriff's department after they checked the trail camera -- one photo showed a man walking in their kitchen, and the suspect was identified as Hammer.
Hammer allegedly admitted looking for and taking money. He also allegedly admitted taking a handgun, ammunition, medication and jewelry.
The handgun was returned to the owner and Hammer still had the ammunition, but he said he no longer had the other stolen items.
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