TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — GPS tracking of two work trucks stolen from a Terre Haute business reportedly helped law enforcement identify and arrest a suspect.
That’s according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Vigo County Court regarding the arrest of Kenneth E. Parsons, 48, of West Terre Haute. In the document, a detective from the Vigo County Sheriff’s Office explains that the incident occurred on December 5, 2023.
Detective McAdams said that on that day there was a report that two trucks and two trailers had been stolen after an employee noticed the alarm was going off when he arrived to work at Forsyth & Puttmann Burial Vaults in the 4000 block of N. Fruitridge Street.
The trucks were 2016 and 2011 model Ford pickup trucks. An employee noted to investigating officers that the vehicles had been equipped with GPS tracking.
One of the trucks was quickly found at a Barnhardt Road location in West Terre Haute, however when a deputy approached the vehicle, a driver shifted into gear and speed off through a ditch and began to flee the scene.
“He(A Sheriff’s Deputy) could see what appeared to be a male sitting in the driver’s seat of the white Ford truck. The male did not turn his head and look at Deputy Lark, but instead accelerated while in gear and drove through the yard towards Barnhardt Road,” The PCA reads.
The deputy noted that two Forsyth employees had to jump out of the way of the accelerating vehicle as it recklessly left the property. Law enforcement was unable to follow the vehicle but reportedly found it a short time later on railroad tracks near Cooper Place. The vehicle reportedly had two flat tires and was left running.
Later, the second truck was located by the Terre Haute Police Department, while the stolen trailers were reportedly found and recovered from Edgar County, Illinois.
Trail camera footage and surveillance footage of the incidents reportedly led police to identify Kenneth Parsons as the suspect.
Jail records show that Parsons was taken into custody on December 21.
Court records show Parsons was due for a hearing in court regarding this case as well as a drug case involving dealing methamphetamine on Tuesday, Jan. 2 at 1:30 p.m.
The drug case is related to a Vigo County Drug Task Force investigation from July of 2023, during which Parsons reportedly sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant. Investigating detectives would note that Parsons denied selling any meth, but did admit to “giving” methamphetamine to “a couple of people over the last three months.”
Court records show Parsons faces the following charges in the two cases;
- Burglary
- A level 5 felony
- Theft (between $750 & $50,000)
- A level 6 felony
- Dealing in methamphetamine (amount between 5-10 grams)
- A level 3 felony
- Dealing in methamphetamine (amount between 1-5 grams)
- A level 4 felony
- Conspiracy to commit dealing in methamphetamine
- A level 5 felony
- Possession of methamphetamine (amount between 5-10 grams)
- A level 5 felony
- Possession of methamphetamine (amount below 5 grams)
- A level 6 felony
- Possession of paraphernalia
- A class C misdemeanor
Parsons is reportedly being held on a $35,000 bond with no 10% allowed.
