Burglary Suspect Arrested in Tipton County

TIPTON, IN - Yesterday, at approximately 12:42 p.m., officers from the Indiana State Police, Tipton County Sheriff’s Department, and Tipton Police Department responded to a 911 call reporting a burglary in progress at a home near the 4000 block of West Division Road, Tipton IN.  The burglary suspect fled the area prior to officers arriving. Officers set up a perimeter, searched corn fields and wooded areas, in an attempt to find the suspect who was later identified as Dana R. Zirkel, 42, of rural Windfall, IN.   

At approximately 6:15 p.m., residents of a home west of the house where the initial 911 call was placed arrived home to find the window blinds pulled down in their house. The blinds were not usually in the down position. They notified nearby officers. Members of the Indiana State Police emergency response team along with a Tipton police officer and his police dog entered the residence. The police dog found Zirkel hiding in the attic with beer and bologna he had removed from a refrigerator in the home. He was arrested and incarcerated in the Tipton County Jail. He is being held without bond on an arrest warrant issued out of Madison County for burglary and theft.  

An investigation by Indiana State Police Detective Tony Frawley revealed that the home owner near the 4000 block of West Division road arrived at his residence and allegedly found Zirkle in his house. The home owner confronted Zirkle who was armed with a handgun. A struggle ensued, and resulted in the homeowner exiting the house and entering his pickup truck. The homeowner then ran over a motorcycle Zirkle had parked in the driveway. Zirkle exited the house and picked up the motorcycle in an attempt to ride off. The homeowner hit the motorcycle a second time with his pickup truck. Zirkle then fled on foot away from the residence.  

Detective Frawley’s investigation also revealed that while Zirkle was hiding, he placed a bogus 911 call to the Tipton County Communications Center. He reported an alleged abduction by someone driving a red pickup truck in the area of U.S. 31 and State Road 26. A check of the area by the Howard County Sheriff’s Department revealed nothing out of the ordinary.   

This is an ongoing investigation. Anyone with information about this crime is urged to contact Detective Tony Frawley at 1-800-382-0689.  

When Detective Frawley concludes his investigation he will forward all pertinent information to the Tipton County Prosecutor’s Office. The prosecutor will determine what criminal charges Zirkle will face in Tipton County. 

Detective Frawley was also assisted in his investigation by Sergeant Tim Miller, Sergeant Rick Brown, Master Trooper Paul Daugherty, Senior Trooper Joe Swisher, Trooper Aaron Schaal, troopers assigned to the ISP Pendleton Post, ISP Aviation Section, officers from the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department, Atlanta Police Department, and Sheridan Police Department.

Source: Indiana State Police

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