Edward Erodney Irons IV, 56, of Gary, is facing charges after police say he committed multiple thefts at gas stations in Munster.
According to court documents, officers were dispatched on April 5, 2026, to a Speedway in the 4400 block of Ridge Road in reference to a theft. Store management provided surveillance video showing a silver SUV arriving around 2:15 a.m. and parking in front of the business.
Police said Irons entered the store, selected multiple items, and approached the counter. While the clerk’s back was turned, Irons allegedly concealed two cartons of Newport cigarettes inside his jacket and exited the store without paying. The total loss was reported to be $258.36.
A short time later, officers were dispatched to a Marathon gas station in the 7800 block of Calumet Avenue in Munster for another reported theft. An employee told police that Irons selected several items, including a carton of Newport cigarettes, and then ran out of the store while the clerk was turned away. The total loss in that incident was reported as $159.13.
Investigators reviewed street camera footage showing a silver Ford Escape traveling between the two locations within minutes of each other. The vehicle was observed traveling from Munster toward Hammond following the incidents and did not have a license plate affixed to the rear.
Police said the investigation connected Irons to other recent theft cases in surrounding jurisdictions, including incidents in Schererville and Hobart involving similar items and the same vehicle. In one case, the vehicle was identified as a silver Ford Escape with a temporary registration and a dealer plate on the front tied to a Hobart dealership.
Authorities also reviewed a Lake County Sheriff’s Department report in which a deputy conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle in Gary and made contact with Irons as the driver. During that stop, the deputy observed numerous clothing items with tags still attached and several pairs of eyeglasses inside the vehicle, which were believed to be related to recent thefts.
Police said surveillance images from the Munster thefts were compared to booking photographs of Irons and determined to be the same individual. Court documents also indicate Irons has a prior robbery conviction in Lake County.
Irons remains lodged in Porter County Jail.
Charges filed April 9,2026:
• Theft – Level 6 Felony
• Theft – Level 6 Felony
• Theft – Class A Misdemeanor
• Theft – Class A Misdemeanor
