Michigan City Police arrested five subjects and seized 3 Guns in 7 Days. The first incident happened on Monday October 5th. Officer Cole Foster was on patrol in the area of Barker Road and Franklin Street when he observed a vehicle that did not possess any working license plate lights. Officer Foster also noted that he was able to pace this vehicle’s speed at 48 MPH in a 30 MPH zone. The female passenger opened the glove compartment to obtain the registration when Foster observed a handgun. The female quickly shut the glove compartment as if to conceal the handgun. Foster obtained consent to retrieve the handgun which was found to have been reported stolen out of Elkhart. The driver, 34 year old Christopher Crockett of Elkhart was charged with Serious Violent Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Theft of a Firearm. The female passenger, a 19 year old female from Michigan City was released from the scene and has not been charged at the time of the press release..
This past Sunday at approximately 4:00 A.M., Officer Matthew Babcock was on patrol in the area of West 8th Street and Grant Street when he observed a vehicle with an expired license plate. Officer Babcock initiated a traffic stop on this vehicle and observed that when the vehicle came to a stop, the driver and front seat passenger had switched seats. There were also two additional passengers in the backseat of the vehicle. Officer Babcock obtained the identification of the female driver and also observed loose ammunition and a rifle on the rear floorboard of the vehicle. Other units were summoned to assist Officer Babcock at which time all the occupants of the vehicle were removed.
Officer Michael Petrie then conducted a free air sniff of the vehicle utilizing his K9 partner Edo. Edo positively alerted on the vehicle at which time a search of the vehicle was conducted. Seized from the vehicle was a 9mm handgun, a .22 caliber rifle, loose ammunition and a high capacity handgun magazine. All of the occupants of the vehicle were identified and were arrested on various active warrants and or charges relating to the firearms located in the vehicle.