INDIANAPOLIS — A man is under arrest after being accused of breaking into a west Indianapolis home that is being built by high school students.
“I felt very frustrated and angry knowing the work that the kids were putting into this house and that someone was here to damage it in any way," said Lisa Bentley, executive director of Indy Gateway Inc. "I have a lot of ownership in this project, and I know the students do as well."
The students are part of a class at the Area 31 Career Center, which partners with the nonprofit Indy Gateway to build a home each year.
“These houses are then sold to often first-time homebuyers in the community and also helps revitalize the neighborhoods,” Bentley said.
But on Tuesday, April 9, they had an unexpected guest.
An alleged thief was caught on surveillance video breaking in and filling up a trash bag of construction tools and materials. He managed to get away before officers arrived.
The next night, he returned again. This time, he tried to knock down two of the exterior cameras.
Bentley posted the surveillance videos on Facebook. Within hours, police received several tips.
Thursday morning, police arrested the suspect, and the stolen materials were returned.
“I feel great that he is behind bars, and we are very grateful for the community for their willingness to step up and share their information,” Bentley said. “It shows that a lot of people do care about this community like we do, and we are very thankful for that."
Now, Bentley is focused on getting the project back on track.
“It will be a lot of hard work by the students and everyone involved, but I think we can get this completed and on the market by summer,” Bentley said.
You can learn more about Indy Gateway here.