17 Stolen Cars Found In Gary, But Many Crushed
GARY, Ind. (CBS) -- Authorities in Gary, Ind., have found a number of stolen cars, but not all of the news is good.
As WBBM Newsradio 780's Pat Cassidy reports, a GPS unit installed in a stolen 2001 Dodge Intrepid led police to Nakia's Auto Salvage, at 650 W. 9th Ave. in Gary, this past Sunday.
Once there, police began examining other vehicles, and found 17 that had been reported stolen from Gary, Merrillville, East Chicago, Calumet City, and other areas.
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Unfortunately, seven of those cars already had been crushed, while two others were stacked on top of each other and severely damaged.
Salvage yard owner Nakia Hemphill, 26, is expected to be charged with auto theft and other felonies after all the victims have been contacted, police said.
Police also towed a tractor trailer that carried a portable car crusher.
A man who claimed he owned the crusher arrived at the yard and wanted to claim it, but investigators said it was evidence in their case.
Hemphill was charged earlier this year with possession of stolen property and scheduled to appear in Lake County, Ind., Superior Court Thursday.
Gary police Detective Cpl. William Clouse said he needs to interview the 17 car owners as part of his investigation before he can present the case to prosecutors.
The Northwest Indiana Post-Tribune contributed to this report, via the Sun-Times Media Wire.
