An Indiana man, Steven Fettinger, 42, was arrested on March 24 after investigators with the Jennings County Sheriff’s Office connected him to the theft of approximately $2,000 worth of new lumber from a construction site in Spencer Township. The lumber was part of a home reconstruction project.
The theft was initially reported by a contractor, and video surveillance helped identify Fettinger as the suspect. Investigators traced his vehicle and trailer to a property on the west side of Jennings County, where they found not only the stolen lumber but also a piece of machinery that had been reported stolen from a Home Depot in Seymour, Indiana.
As law enforcement agencies from neighboring areas arrived, additional stolen property linked to three unsolved burglaries in Jackson County was discovered at the property. Investigators believe Fettinger is also involved in two burglaries in Bartholomew County, as missing property from those thefts was also found at the location.
Fettinger was located and arrested in Austin, Indiana, with assistance from the Austin Police Department and Crothersville Police Department. He is currently being held at the Jennings County Jail on a $45,000 bond, charged with theft. At the time of his arrest, Fettinger was out on bond for another burglary charge in Jackson County. Authorities are continuing to investigate the potential for additional charges in both Jackson and Bartholomew Counties.
