Two arrested for attempted catalytic converter thefts

Sheriff’s deputies arrested a pair of Indianapolis men they say attempted to steal a catalytic converter from a vehicle on Greenwood’s far southwest side.

Zachary Aaron McDaniel, 31, of Indianapolis, was arrested on charges of possession of stolen property, a felony, and driving a vehicle with a suspended license, a misdemeanor. Daniel P. Vibbert, 36, also of Indianapolis, was arrested on a charge of resisting law enforcement, a misdemeanor, and was wanted on out-of-county warrants. The Johnson County Prosecutor’s Office will decide what, if any, charges to file.

Deputies were called shortly after 5 p.m. to the 3000 block of Fairview Road in Greenwood. Thursday on a report of a person trying to cut a catalytic converter out of a vehicle. Deputies observed fresh cut marks on the exhaust pipe of the victim’s car, according to a Johnson County Sheriff’s Office report.

The victim told 911 dispatchers they had seen a “smashed up” Chevrolet Malibu in the area, and had seen the car drive southbound on Meridian Parke Drive. The caller also described a suspect as a white male wearing a black hat, according to the report.

While deputies were on route to the scene, they spotted a car matching the description travelling westbound on Fairview Road. Deputies followed the car and saw an item get thrown out of the vehicle, the report says.

Deputies pulled over the vehicle after it failed to signal properly when turning onto Shadow Hill Drive. When the car stopped, a man jumped out of the rear passenger side and fled on foot. The man was later identified as Vibbert, according to the report.

Officers ordered the driver out of the car. When he exited the car, a sawzall blade fell onto the ground. Deputies arrested the driver, later identified as McDaniel, with assistance from Greenwood police, the report says.

Deputies deployed a K9 to help track Vibbert, who had fled on foot. The K9 followed Vibbert’s trail from Shadow Hill Drive over Peterman Road to a wood line to the west, according to the report.

The K9 found Vibbert crouching in tall weeds, the report says.

At the traffic stop, officers spoke with McDaniel and two other people who were also in the car. The two witnesses refused to tell police who was attempting to steal the catalytic converter, and also denied knowledge of the attempted theft, according to the report.

Deputies spoke with McDaniel, the driver, who told them he was on probation in Marion County for a burglary charge and had no knowledge of the attempted theft. He also told deputies he never had a driver’s license, the report says.

When deputies searched the car, they found numerous sawzall blades and two sawzalls in the car. They also found gloves, a black ski mask, two batteries and tools in the trunk, according to the report.

A deputy went back to where they had observed something get thrown out of the vehicle, and found a pipe consistent with methamphetamine use on the ground, the report says.

Vibbert told police he had ran because he had outstanding warrants for his arrest. Deputies later found out he had four separate warrants for his arrest in Marion County, and one in Hendricks County, according to the report.

One Marion County warrant was for carrying a handgun with prior felony conviction, driving while suspended and possession of paraphernalia. Another warrant was for car theft, and a third warrant was for theft. The fourth warrant was for residential breaking and entering and battery resulting in injury, according to online court records.

He was wanted in Hendricks County on a misdemeanor charge of theft, court records show.

Vibbert is held without bond due to his out-of-county warrants.

McDaniel was taken to the Johnson County jail where he is held on $2,200 bond.