INDIANAPOLIS — A business owner on the east side of Indianapolis is fed up after multiple break-ins this month near 38th Street and Emerson Avenue.
“I have had four break-ins in three weeks. I have replaced three doors and one window. Now I am in the process of replacing another,” said Dwayne Tyler.
Tyler owns two shops in a small strip mall. He said recently his “Smoke One” store has been the target, despite several cameras and added security.
“I can’t win. I’m reaching out to everybody that I was told to reach out to no avail,” said Tyler.
The situation became so desperate that Tyler started sleeping in one of his vacant businesses next door. Early Tuesday morning, he woke up to a security alarm going off.
“I jumped up and I grabbed my phone and called 911,” Tyler said. “I grabbed my pistol and my shoes. I forgot to put my clothes on. So, I had to come over here in my underwear and hold these guys at bay until the police came.”
Tyler said he fired shots near the entrance of his store and told a group of teens to get on the ground. Two of them got away out the back.
“I came over here with every intention to stop someone from doing it again, but they were kids, you know what I mean. I got kids and I saw the fear in their faces. So, I just held them at bay until the police came,” Tyler said. “I hope I don’t regret it later, but I don’t regret it now.”
IMPD said two of the teens were arrested and investigators are still looking for the other two suspects.
“I actually saved those kids lives and I told them that. I said maybe you will come and thank me later for what I did,” Tyler said.
In the meantime, he has asked community leaders, churches and police for help. He said he is not sure what else he can do.
“Gas stations and liquor stores around here need to be held accountable. They are grounds for common nuisances. They allow the loitering. So if you allow the loitering, it is hurting my business because my customers are scared to get out of their cars,” Tyler said.
He said it should be mandatory for these businesses to hire security.
“We wouldn’t have these problems. We would probably have some of them, but we wouldn’t have 90% of them problems,” Tyler said.
Now, Tyler is hoping those responsible for the recent burglaries don't return and that it sends a warning to others.
“I am going to be here. I am not going to let the break-ins detour me or close me down. I want to find solutions to fix this, so I don’t have to keep going through this before somebody does get hurt,” Tyler said.
Tyler also said IMPD came by Wednesday morning and gave him information about the department’s “B-Link” camera system. It connects cameras at Indy businesses with IMPD's network to help them monitor and prevent crimes around the city.
IMPD says 87 businesses have signed up for the B-Link network so far with 251 views around the city.
Anyone with information regarding the burglaries is asked to call IMPD Det. Jerry Pullings at 317-327-6237 or call Crime Stoppers at 317-262-TIPS if they wish to remain anonymous.
In a statement, the department said, “IMPD continues to have conversations with the business owner regarding the safety and security of his property and has increased patrols in the area. The business owner has also completed a trespass agreement.”