Published: March 19, 2008 04:14 pm      

Indianapolis man arrested for Brownsburg burglary

BROWNSBURG — Police here say they have one burglary suspect in custody, but are continuing to search for accomplices.

Brownsburg Police Capt. Jeff Gray said police officers arrested Harold W. Hood, 37, of Indianapolis, earlier this week and charged him with receiving stolen property, a class D felony, and burglary, a class C felony, in connection with several residential burglaries in Brownsburg.

According to a police report, officers spotted a maroon 1995 Dodge van that fit a description of a van used in residential burglaries in the Whittington Addition. Whittington is one of three subdivisions in town where homes had been broken into recently.

After discovering that the vehicle’s license plate had been stolen from a car parked at Indianapolis International Airport, police followed the van through the subdivision to Bethesda Christian School.

Police say Hood briefly entered the school and they stopped him as he exited. According to the police report, Hood told officers that the van belonged to a friend and that he did not know the license plate had been stolen. He told police he was lost and had stopped at the school for directions.

School officials said Hood came to the front desk before going to the men’s restroom. Inside the restroom, police found two plastic baggies and a can of animal repellent.

In a search of the van, police found several tools and some other items believed to have been stolen.

“The jewelry was found in the van he was driving,” Gray said. “We are not sure where the jewelry came from.”

Gray said police obtained search warrants for two residences Hood had listed. Inside one of the homes, police found a 42-inch Plasma television. The serial number on the TV matched to taken from a residence on Trails End, he said.

He said police also matched a shoe print left at the scene at the Trials End burglary to a pair of shoes Hood was wearing at the time of his arrest.

“We know he did at least one of the burglaries,” Gray said. “We don’t know if he was working alone or with others.”

amanda.roach@flyergroup.com