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Police: Man arrested was wearing victim's stolen clothes

Posted at 1:30 PM, Jan 24, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-24 14:09:52-05

COLUMBUS, Ind. -- A man accused of breaking into multiple vehicles and stealing clothes was caught wearing the victim's coat and shoes, police said Tuesday.

Columbus police officers were called to the 2500 block of 25th Street for a suspicious person, who left on a bicycle.

Police talked to three people who said several nearby vehicles had been broken into, with items taken. One gave police a description of a suspect, and said his backpack was stolen from his truck.

The backpack was found a little later, with stolen radio equipment and a driver's license that didn't belong to the victim.

Police later found Christopher Battin, 30, nearby on a bicycle. Police confirmed the driver's license found in the backpack belonged to Battin. The witness also positively identified by a witness.

He was wearing a victim's stolen coat and shoes at the time. Police also found a small amount of heroin.

Battin faces preliminary charges of:

  • Four counts of theft
  • Four counts of unlawful entry of a motor vehicle
  • Criminal mischief
  • Possession of heroin