Thomas G. Longstreet, 45, Homeless
HANCOCK COUNTY — The man who officials say went in through an unlocked door at the Buck Creek Township Fire Department Station 72 and drove out with a company grass fire truck in the middle of the night made his initial appearance in Hancock County Superior Court 1 Monday morning.
Thomas Grant Longstreet, 45, homeless, was taken into custody at the Hancock County Jail Friday. He’s facing a Level 5 felony count of burglary and a Level 5 felony count of theft with a value over $50,000 from the incident June 2.
He made his initial appearance locally via zoom where Judge D.J. Davis set a $10,000 cash bond and entered a not guilty plea for Longstreet as well as appointed a public defender in the case. Court records show Longstreet is due back in court Wednesday, July 3 for a status hearing.
Longstreet was also facing a Level 6 felony count of resisting law enforcement with a vehicle, a Level 6 felony count of impersonation of a public law enforcement officer and a Class C misdemeanor count of reckless driving in Henry County from the same incident June 2. However, officials with Henry County Circuit Court 2 have since dismissed those charges.
According to court records in Henry County, officials filed for a dismissal June 14. All Court events surrounding the case there have been canceled.
According to a probable cause affidavit for the crimes in Hancock County, officials with the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department were called June 2, to 6610 West 100 North Greenfield, Buck Creek Township Fire Department, Station 72.
Officials at the fire station told deputies they were missing a 2019 Ford F-350 grass truck. The stolen vehicle was parked inside the garage area of the fire department and was facing north when it was taken, the affidavit said. Upon investigation, officials determined the north door of the fire station was left unlocked and advised video evidence was available.
Longstreet was eventually caught that same night when officials in Henry County saw him at a gas station there then followed him as he headed West on U.S. 40 towards Greenfield.
Both Henry and Hancock County officials pursued the truck, and as the group approached the eastern edge of Greenfield, deputies from the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department parked their vehicles in front of U.S. 40, right by the Hancock County Jail, forcing Longstreet to stop, the affidavit said.
Longstreet, according to the affidavit, said “dumb*** cops left it unlocked with the keys in it.” He went on to tell officials the window was down so of course he was “going to take it.” Longstreet also told officials he was the mayor and worked for the police department, which were both dishonest statements.
Officials with the prosecutor’s office in Hancock County also have filed documentation identifying Longstreet as a habitual offender, citing criminal convictions in Marion County prior to the events of June 2. A look at Longstreet’s criminal records show he has been involved in over a dozen different criminal cases throughout the state.
