INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) — An Indianapolis man is in big trouble tonight after an early Thursday morning crime spree that landed him behind bars.
Metro police arrested Jeffrey Bailey for auto theft, burglary and resisting law enforcement. His reported crime spree includes incidents at a business complex parking lot in the 800 block of Beachway Drive, a car and home burglary nearby on Grand Woods Drive and then a car theft in the 5300 block of West Vermont street.
A woman called 911 just before 5 a.m. Thursday and identified Bailey as the man who carjacked her in a far west business complex parking lot.
Then a woman called police from a nearby neighborhood after Bailey reportedly got into her car, got into the house using a garage door opener before being scared away. While inside the home, Bailey reportedly changed clothes and stole several items, including food from the house.
Minutes later he allegedly drove off in a woman's car warming up outside her home.
The Ayala family spent the morning getting ready and had plans to drop off several young family members at school. One of the family members went outside and warmed up their Isuzu. But it was a different story when they came back outside.
Esmeraelda Ayala said, “When we were coming outside, we saw a guy getting inside the car and he just went off. My brothers dad got inside the white car and went after him, but he didn't get very far."
Ayala shared with Eyewitness News that during their attempt to stop the car thief, they ran across several police officers in their neighborhood and told them about what had just occurred. Officers broadcasted the description of the stolen car over police radio. That led to Bailey’s arrest.
The Ayala family got their car back right away. They handed over several items presumably left in the car by Bailey, which included a pair of bib overalls and food.
Fortunately, no one got hurt in the crime spree. Bailey is scheduled for his initial hearing at 1 o'clock Monday.
