BEECH GROVE, Ind. — On Sunday, while worship was taking place inside South Emerson Church of God, police say a woman was going through cars in the parking lot and stealing anything she could get her hands on.
"She wasn't just looking for high-dollar items. She stole energy drinks and little bits of change from people's cup holders. All the way up to, I think it was like up to a $20,000 ventilator out of the back of a nurse's car," said Joshua Brown, who is a member of the church.
Joshua Brown and Sarah Janisse-Brown were at the church that night. The cameras on their Tesla captured everything.
"So, we got to the car, I immediately jumped in and brought up the camera footage and immediately I said, 'Oh my goodness, there's a lady standing next to the car,' so I hit play, and there she is, going from car to car to car," Brown said.
That's when the Browns say they called Beech Grove police.
"In the middle of interviewing us, one of the other ladies who had their car broken into says, 'Oh my goodness, they just tried to use my credit card at a Speedway gas station.' The policeman says, 'What's the address?' and I helped her look up the address, and he said, 'Send me a picture of the lady off your car, here's my phone number,' and he zips out of there calling for two more cars as he's running," Brown recalled.
That Speedway was a quick two-minute drive away on Churchman Avenue. Police say when they got there, they spotted the woman sitting in her car before arresting her.
"Their car was full of items. It was a stolen car, she was armed and she had stolen a lot of things," Janisse-Brown said.
Michelle Hammons, of Indianapolis, was formally charged Feb. 27 with theft, unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle and unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon.
"I wish she would have come into the church and asked for help, I really do, and we would have helped her," Janisse-Brown said.