WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A box of gun supplies that led to Monday’s (Nov. 17) evacuation of the Purdue Armory has been claimed by its owner, who had reported the items as stolen, according to university police.

Lt. Fred Davis said a graduate student came to the Purdue Police Department on Tuesday (Nov. 18) to report that several items had been stolen from the bed of his truck, parked in the 400 block of Russell Street. The items reported stolen included black powder and other commonly available reloading supplies for a muzzleloading-type gun.

Davis said the student positively identified the box and supplies that had been taken from the back of his truck sometime between 11 p.m. Friday (Nov. 14) and 6 a.m. Saturday (Nov. 15).

About 100-150 people were evacuated from the Purdue Armory and the building was closed for about 90 minutes Monday morning after a groundskeeper discovered the ammunition box just outside of the building. Northbound University Street at Third Street also was closed off, as a member of the Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Department’s bomb squad retrieved the container.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue Armory was evacuated for about 90 minutes Monday morning (Nov. 17) after university police evacuated the facility when a suspicious container was found on the building’s north side.

Police evacuated the Armory and closed off northbound University Street at Third Street shortly after the call came in at about 8:45 a.m. Purdue police Lt. Mike Boesch said approximately 100-150 people were evacuated. Both University Street and the Armory were reopened about 10:15 a.m.

Boesch said that at about 8:45 a.m. a groundskeeper found the small, military ammunition-type box atop a plastic toolbox near a bush on the north side of the Armory. The box was about 6 inches wide, 12 inches long and 8 inches tall. The groundskeeper opened the box, which contained black powder and other commonly available reloading supplies for a muzzleloading-type gun.

The Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Department bomb squad took the package from the scene, and Purdue police continue to investigate the incident.

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Tippecanoe County Sheriff Tracy Brown is announces the formation of a volunteer based auxiliary unit. The Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Auxiliary Unit program is designed to supplement law enforcement duties currently performed by sheriff’s deputies who increasingly are deterred from proactive outreach and patrol duties.

“As our community grows so does the need to have additional resources to assist with the demands placed on the Sheriff’s Office”, said Sheriff Tracy Brown. “We are tasked with doing more with less in county government. This program provides us with cost effective resources that will provide services to supplement patrol and community outreach efforts for the Sheriff’s Office.”

Sheriff Brown emphasizes that Sheriff’s Auxiliary Volunteers are not a substitute for fully trained and certified Sheriff’s Deputies.

Sheriff’s Auxiliary Unit members will perform non-emergency duties, which keep sworn deputies on the street available to respond to calls for service. After receiving orientation and training, some of the duties performed by Sheriff’s Auxiliary Volunteers will include highly visible non-confrontational patrol, traffic direction and control, assistance with neighborhood watch programs, crime prevention education, and provide routine security checks of homes and businesses. Sheriff’s Auxiliary Unit members will wear a uniform that is distinctly different from the traditional brown and tan uniforms worn by full time Sheriff’s deputies in the county.

Persons interested in volunteering for the Sheriff’s Auxiliary Unit will undergo a detailed screening process and a criminal background check before final consideration and acceptance into the program.

For additional information about the Sheriff’s Auxiliary Unit contact:
Sergeant Doug Caldwell (765) 423-9388 ext. 351 or see Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s web site at www.tippecanoesheriff.com and click on the Sheriff’s Auxiliary link.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (Lafayette-Online) — Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Investigators are investigating a burglary and theft at Harrison High School. School officials reported the incident after it was discovered that meal trays and food items had been taken from the school’s kitchen sometime overnight.

According to Investigator Thomas Lehman, all of the suspects in what started as a “senior prank” have been identified and arrested. The meal trays were recovered, but nearly eight hundred dollars ($800.00) in food items that had been designated for the school’s morning breakfast were destroyed as a result of the incident causing the school officials to make other meal arrangements.

Lehman was assisted in the investigation by Lieutenant Terry Ruley, and Investigator Greg Haltom.

William T. Arnold

Thomas D. Whitworth

Samantha J. Yoder

Arrested in the investigation:

William T. Arnold (18)
West Lafayette, Indiana
Charge: Burglary as a Class C Felony/Criminal Mischief as Class A Misdemeanor
Bond: $10,000.00

Thomas D. Whitworth (18)
West Lafayette, Indiana
Charge: Burglary as a Class C Felony
Bond: $10,000.00

Samantha J. Yoder (18)
West Lafayette, Indiana
Charge: Burglary as a Class C Felony
Bond: $10,000.00

Juvenile Male (17)
West Lafayette, Indiana
Charges: Burglary as a Class C Felony/Theft as a Class D Felony
*Placed in secure detention following a hearing in Tippecanoe County Superior Court III.