Man Arrested For Auto Theft In Aurora

The arrest was made on Tuesday, July 28.

(Aurora, Ind.) - Theft charges were filed last week in Dearborn County after an incident that happened early June. 

An Aurora Police officer was dispatched to the 180 block of Market Street in Aurora on the morning of June 10 for a report of a vehicle being worked on in the street creating a possible traffic hazard. 

When arriving to the scene, the officer saw a multi-colored Chevrolet sports utility vehicle raised up on jack stands with the hood and back door open. The officer made contact with the man working on the car who told him that the exhaust was being installed for his "friend John." 

An Ohio Registration plate was noticed on the back of the vehicle, which came back from the Northgate Ford Lincoln Mercury dealership in Cincinnati. 

The VIN number was found on the inside of the driver's door and radioed to Dearborn County Dispatch. The VIN number identified the car as a 1996 Green Chevrolet Suburban, and had an active Hit Confirmation Response as being stolen out of Kentucky. Police confirmed the vehicle by a cracked windshield and of the back rear door still green in color. 

The man working on the Suburban was made aware that the vehicle was stolen. Police asked how he came into possession of the car, who he was working on it for, and how to get in contact with the owner. The man claimed he did not know the owner personally and he does "a lot of vehicle work through Facebook messenger."

After further questioning, the man said that vehicle belonged to "Nicole and her boyfriend." The man originally claimed he did not know where either of those individuals were, but ultimately said they were located inside his home on Market Street.

When police arrived to the residence, two individuals were found inside the home.

Police made contact with Nathan Staudt, 30, of Cincinnati. According to a probable cause affidavit, Staudt told police he bought the Suburban "five days ago"  but could not produce a bill or sale or a title. Staudt said he could prove the purchase through texts messages on his phone; however, he could not locate his phone. Staudt told police that an unknown man had dropped the vehicle off at the residence, but could not drive it due to a faulty exhaust system. 

The man working on the vehicle and owner of the residence where Staudt was located told police that Staudt had driven the Suburban to his home to be worked on. 

Staudt was arrested as the main suspect in the auto theft case and was charged with Auto Theft (Level 6 Felony) on Tuesday, July 28. 

The vehicle was towed and impounded.