Jasper, Huntingburg Officers Arrest Vincennes Man in Stolen Toyota Tundra

Connor J. Smith, 24, of Vincennes is facing a Level 6 felony charge after Jasper police spotted him at the wheel of a stolen 2024 Toyota Tundra on U.S. 231 Saturday morning and followed the truck south through Jasper until Huntingburg officers helped bring it to a stop.

The sequence began when an unmarked Jasper Police Department unit observed the Tundra traveling south on U.S. 231 near 12th Avenue in Jasper on April 4. Officers tailed the vehicle into Huntingburg, where Huntingburg Police Department officers assisted with a traffic stop in the parking lot of the Northside Dollar General. Smith was taken into custody at the scene and later booked into the Dubois County Security Center.

The Tundra was running a false license plate when officers identified it. The vehicle had been reported stolen from the Louisville area in June 2025, meaning it had been missing for roughly ten months before turning up on a Dubois County roadway. The Jasper Police Department led the investigation, with support from the Huntingburg Police Department and the Dubois County Sheriff's Office.

Smith now faces a charge of Theft of a Motor Vehicle, a Level 6 felony under Indiana law. Level 6 is Indiana's lowest felony classification, but a conviction can still carry a sentence of six months to two and a half years in prison, along with fines and potential restitution to the vehicle's owner. The case is expected to be referred to the Dubois County Prosecutor's Office for formal charging and arraignment scheduling. Smith is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

The two-department coordination, backed by the sheriff's office, illustrates how quickly Dubois County law enforcement can intercept a stolen vehicle crossing jurisdictional lines. A truck lifted in Louisville in June moved undetected for ten months before a single unmarked unit on U.S. 231 triggered a response that ended at the Northside Dollar General parking lot on the north end of Huntingburg.

For private owners, dealerships, and fleet operators in Dubois County, the incident underscores a few practical steps worth reinforcing. Always lock doors and remove keys even for a brief stop, and park in well-lit, visible locations when possible. A steering wheel club or visible dash camera adds friction that opportunistic thieves typically avoid. Never leave a vehicle running unattended, a tempting shortcut on cold Indiana mornings that makes any car an easy target. Dealers and lot managers should keep current VIN documentation and maintain a direct contact at the Jasper Police Department for fast reporting if inventory goes missing.

If you spot a vehicle displaying a license plate that does not match the make, model, or color, or observe suspicious behavior around parked cars, call 911 rather than approaching. The Jasper Police Department handles non-emergency tips for in-city incidents, and the Dubois County Sheriff's Office accepts information connected to active cases across the county.

The Tundra's recovery closes a chapter that began nearly a year ago in Louisville. For the vehicle's owner, the path to full restitution now runs through the Dubois County court system and any financial order a judge may impose on Smith if the case results in conviction.