WINAMAC, Ind. — A 54-year-old Winamac man, Scott Rector, is facing a growing list of felony charges after being linked to a multi-county theft ring involving stolen vehicles, farm equipment, and construction machinery. Authorities say the thefts span at least eight counties across Indiana, with ties possibly stretching into Illinois and Missouri.
On May 5, a Jasper County farmer reported that a semi-truck, a flatbed trailer loaded with seed, and a 2,500-gallon fertilizer tank were stolen from his Rensselaer-area property. That same day, police received a second report of a Caterpillar mini excavator and a Takeuchi skid steer stolen from a Fair Oaks Park construction site.
GPS data from one of the stolen machines led investigators to a Putnam County property near Russellville, where police recovered the stolen semi, farm equipment, and several other items, including a green trailer and a 2024 Kawasaki side-by-side stolen from a Clay County VFW. Investigators found the ignition tampered with and discovered more stolen property linked to thefts in other counties. The estimated total value of recovered stolen items is over $500,000.
Witnesses at the Russellville property identified Scott Rector as the individual who brought the stolen items, backing their claim with digital messages tying Rector to the thefts. He was later arrested and booked into the Jasper County Jail.
Charges Against Rector:
Jasper County:
Three counts of Level 5 felony theft (property over $50,000)
Level 6 felony resisting law enforcement using a vehicle
Clay County:
Level 6 felony auto theft
White County:
Level 5 felony theft (property over $50,000)
Habitual Offender Enhancement:
Prosecutors have filed a habitual offender enhancement due to Rector’s prior felony convictions, including:
Theft (Pulaski County, 2021)
Theft (Parke County, 2022)
Resisting Law Enforcement (Jasper County, 2011)
Authorities are investigating a broader interstate theft ring, suggesting a network of coordinated thefts across Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri. Indiana counties currently linked to the investigation include Pulaski, Jasper, White, Putnam, Vigo, Clay, Newton, and Tippecanoe.
Additional Arrest:
Roy W. Poynter, 46, of Russellville, has also been arrested for his role in the theft operation. Investigators expect more arrests as the case develops.
Law enforcement encourages individuals and businesses who may be unwitting victims of theft to come forward as the investigation unfolds.
