Indianapolis, IN
Neighbors believe theft ring responsible for missing French Bulldogs
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Neighbors in Indianapolis believe a theft ring is responsible for snatching nearly a dozen French Bulldogs from front yards. It comes after I-Team 8 first reported on multiple Yorkies disappearing in the same way last summer.
Now, neighbors say they believe the same thieves are targeting Frenchies.
For 274 days, Indianapolis woman Peggy Allawat has crossed off her calendar, marking another day since her beloved Yorkie, Lil’ Bit, was snatched from her neighbor’s front yard. With every day that passes, more dogs are going missing.
Many of them are being stolen from the northeast and east sides of the city.
“There’s been at least 11 Frenchies missing since March,” Allawat said.
Allawat goes everywhere with two things in hand: a bag of documents with information on her missing Yorkie and a microchip scanner for dogs. She brings the items with her in case she finds Lil’ Bit, or any other small dogs that have vanished.
“They’re picking small dogs, sometimes it’s in the street,” Allawat said. “Sometimes they go in the yard.”
Just this past Saturday, Chris Radford’s two Frenchies, Charlie and Murphy, disappeared from near his front yard as he was preparing for his son’s birthday party.
“I was looking for my dogs neighbor comes out from down the street and says, ‘Hey are you looking for some dogs,’ and I said, ‘Yes,’” Radford said. “He said, ‘Well the DoorDasher just put two dogs in his car just now.’”
Charlie and Murphy are a part of their family, especially for his daughter.
“She has special needs and all she does is ask where her dogs are at, and it just bothers us and getting really hard without them,” Radford said.
Radford isn’t alone. Robin Lucas owns a Frenchie named Chloe. Chloe was last seen on March 5 on the east side. Radford is worried there’s more.
“I know it’s hard out here, and I’m not trying to get no one in trouble,” Radford said. “If you know, you could contact me or anybody. We can make something work to where this can go away. We can get our dogs back and everybody can be happy.”
While they wait for their Frenchies to come back again, Allawat continues her fight.
“I want my dog back, and I will not give up. It’s not just about Lil’ Bit. It’s about all the Yorkies. It’s about all those people that had their pets ripped away from him by criminals.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indiana State Police have arrested a man in connection with two attacks, including one deadly, near Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis earlier this month.
29-year-old Michael Willis is facing two counts of attempted murder. Police say that the attacks happened on June 19 and June 26, both happening on N Senate Ave. near Monument Circle.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by News 8, on June 19, Willis was walking in the area near Monument Circle around 2 a.m. when he approached a person laying down and repeatedly stomped on them. Police say that this first victim was transported to the hospital in critical condition.
The first victim died on Sunday due to their injuries sustained from Willis’s attack, documents say.
Police also say that on June 26, Willis attacked a different person at the same location near Monument Circle. Police believe that the second victim was repeatedly kicked and stomped on while they were lying down as well. This second attack also took place around 2 a.m.
Indiana State Police detectives shared surveillance photos of Willis from the attacks with other police agencies in an attempt to identify him. Police say Willis was identified by a Greensborough Police Sergeant after Willis had asked the sergeant to use his cell phone.
Police then approached Willis and detained him. Police say that when Willis was detained, he was wearing the same clothes that were seen in the surveillance footage of both attacks. Officers also noticed blood on Willis’s socks.
In an interview with detectives about the July 26 attack, Willis at first said that he was only “nudging” the victim. Police say that according to Willis, he was trying to wake the victim up because he was concerned about them.
Later in the interview, Willis admitted to attacking both victims. Willis said that he was frustrated that he had been homeless and unemployed for around the past 6 months. According to police, Willis also said that the people in the area were “mean and rude” to him.
Police say that Willis told detectives that he was the only person involved in these attacks.
Willis is currently in custody of the Marion County Jail.
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana is under a heat advisory with temperatures in the 90s throughout the week.
Many cooling centers will open throughout the state for those that need to find relief from the heat. Hoosiers looking to find cooling centers in their area can contact Indiana 211. To learn more, call 211 or (866) 211-9966.
Avaliable cooling centers can also be found by clicking here.
Marion County
For those living in Indianapolis, Indy Parks has several cooling centers across the city.
Those Cooling Centers are:
- Broad Ripple Park Family Center
- Brookside Park Family Center
- Christian Park Family Center
- Frederick Douglass Park Family Center
- Garfield Park Burrello Family Center
- Krannert Park Family Center
- Grassy Creek Environmental Education Center
- Pride Park Family Center
- Rhodius Park Family Center
- Riverside Park Family Center
- Stanley Strader Park Family Center
- Washington Park Family Center
- Windsor Park Family Center
- Watkins Park Family Center
- Thatcher Park Family Center
For addresses and hours of operations of these cooling centers, click here.
Beech Grove will also have two cooling Centers for residents starting Monday, June 29. Those hours and locations are:
- Beech Grove Senior Center, 602 Main St
- 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday through Friday
- Hornet Park Community Center, 5245 Hornet Ave
- 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday through Friday
Other Central Indiana Cooling Centers
For addresses and hour of operations of cooling centers below, click here.
Marion
- St. Martin Community Center
- Grant County Family YMCA
- Grant County Rescue Mission
Kokomo
- The Kokomo Rescue Mission
- The Excel Center in Kokomo
Peru
- Community Resource Center
- Miami County Courthouse
- Miami County Health Department
- Miami County YMCA
- Peru City Hall
- Peru Public Library
- Peru Schools Administration Building
INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) — The National Weather Service out of Indianapolis has issued a Heat Advisory for all of Central Indiana and a High Heat Warning for parts of northern Indiana. The Advisory and Warning will go into effect at 12 PM on Monday and will run through 8 PM Thursday.
WRTV
A Heat Advisory means that temperatures in the 90s with dew points in the 70s, will lead to Heat Index values reaching 106. Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses.
Stay cool:
Drink plenty of fluids, check up on relatives and neighbors, and stay in an air-conditioned room when possible. If outside for extended periods of time, make sure to take frequent breaks in the shade as much as you can.
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