๐๐ก๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐จ๐ง ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ข๐ญ
On the evening of August 11, 2024, officers from the Chesterton Police Department successfully apprehended a suspect involved in a string of thefts and felony frauds after a pursuit that began after the suspect vehicle fled from a traffic stop, according to a press release from Chesterton Police.
Officer Conley and Sergeant Lisoski, while patrolling near Dickinson Road and Porter Avenue, received a Flock License Plate Reader (LPR) alert identifying a vehicle connected to multiple thefts and associated felony frauds.
The suspect’s vehicle, bearing an expired license plate, was observed traveling north on Dickinson Road. The suspect then turned west onto Porter Avenue and north on State Road 49. Officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop on this vehicle near Indian Boundary Road and State Road 49, but the suspect failed to pull over and fled north
towards Interstate 94.
The suspect continued to flee from officers, traveling westbound on I-94. An Officer with the Porter Police Department successfully deployed Stop Sticks on the vehicle near the 21-mile marker, which caused the vehicles two front tires to deflate and slow the vehicle down significantly. The suspect came to a rolling stop at the 20-mile marker, where officers were able to take the driver, Courtney Barnes, 28, of Gary, Indiana into custody without further incident.
Barnes was charged with Resisting Law Enforcement- Level 6 Felony and Reckless Driving- C Misdemeanor. Barnes also had active warrants for his arrest out of Will County, Illinois for Theft. Barnes is currently at the Porter County Jail on a $5,000 cash only bond.
Barnes is a suspect in numerous thefts from vehicles and credit card fraud cases in the Duneland Area over the past several weeks. Detective/Corporal Arwen LaMotte has been investigating those cases reported in Chesterton and was able to speak with Barnes the evening of his arrest. Additional charges against Barnes are anticipated, police stated.
Chief Tim Richardson stated, “I applaud the efforts of Officer Conley and Sergeant Lisoski which led to the successful apprehension of a suspect involved in a series of thefts and felony frauds in our community. Their quick response and teamwork during this high-pressure situation reflect the professionalism and commitment of the Chesterton Police Department when it comes to our communityโs safety and quality of life.
I would also like to highlight the significant role of the Flock License Plate Reader (LPR) technology in this investigation. The LPR alert was instrumental in identifying the suspect vehicle, enabling our officers to take swift action. This case underscores the importance of utilizing innovative technology like license plate reading cameras to enhance our communityโs safety. The Chesterton Town Council has been fully supportive of our vision to utilize technology such as LPRs to aid in keeping our community safe.
Lastly, I am incredibly proud of the work done by our patrol and investigative divisions on this case and am grateful for the support from our neighboring law enforcement agencies. Their collaboration was essential in bringing this dangerous situation to a safe conclusion.”
Agencies assisting with this pursuit/arrest include the Porter Police Department, Burns Harbor Police Department, Portage Police Department, and the Porter County Sheriffโs Department.
We would ask anyone who may have information related to the rash of thefts from vehicles, to include any home security footage, to contact Corporal Arwen LaMotte at (219) 926-1136.
