An alert resident in the 300 block of Mill Street thought something was odd when she saw a stranger dragging a trash can to the back of her neighbor’s house Monday morning at around 8:30 a.m. The neighbors were not home at the time.

In a few minutes, the man reappeared at the front of the house and fled on foot. That’s when the witness called police.

Within hours, the man was making purchases at a BP gas station at I-69 and Dupont Road, as well as at a Wal-Mart with stolen credit cards from the Churubusco residence. He has eluded police so far, but Churubusco Town Marshal Chad Fulkerson said the department has photos and video of the suspect from the gas station and Wal-Mart that soon will be released to the media.

“That usually brings in some pretty quick results,” Fulkerson said. They hope to have the images to local television stations and other media shortly, he said.

Churubusco police officer Melanie Crapser was on duty and was the first at the scene. She was quickly backed up by Churubusco Town Marshal Chad Fulkerson, the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department and the Indiana State Police.

Todd Cook of the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department and his K-9 unit tracked the man from the Mill Street house he allegedly burglarized to Eastway Street and then to East Pleasant, where police are assuming the suspect had parked his vehicle. The scent ended at that point, Fulkerson said.

As the man fled, he apparently ran through the yard of another neighbor, startling the woman sitting on the porch. She told police that he politely apologized as he ran by, Fulkerson said.

Three other witnesses later told Fulkerson that they had noticed the man lurking around the neighborhood and all were suspicious of what the stranger was up to.

“But no one called us,” Fulkerson said. “And when the one witness did call, it was delayed because they were trying to find the local number of the police station.”

Fulkerson said in that type of situation, residents should call 911 and report the situation. “That is an emergency situation and the calls get to us very quickly. Don’t waste time looking for a number. ”

The man’s age is estimated to be in the mid-to upper 20’s range and he is dark-skinned, witnesses said. He is thought to be driving a light blue Ford Focus.

Later that same day - between 2:30 and 3 p.m. - Allen County Police were summoned to a home in the 18000 block of Bryie Road where there was a reported burglary in progress.

A white male cut through the woods near the home and went to the house and tried to kick in the back door before realizing there was someone in the house and ran back through the woods toward S.R. 205, Fulkerson said.

That incident is still under investigation.

Fulkerson urges anyone who sees any type of suspicious behavior to report it immediately to the police.

“If you suspect a crime is in progress or about to be committed, call 911,” Fulkerson said.