A 28-year-old Linton woman was arrested April 22 on a warrant for theft after she allegedly stole two backpacks—with Chromebooks inside—and tossed them into a roadside ditch in Terre Haute.

Greene County Sheriff’s Department Special Deputy Ted Holley arrested Danielle Marcella Rilenge on a warrant for theft when the value of the property is more than $750 but less than $50,000.

On March 10, Linton Police Department Officer Alan Jackson responded to a 1st Street Southeast residence in Linton regarding an unruly subject. A male subject reported he had asked Rilenge to leave the residence and noticed a handgun, keys, and wallet missing from the home. The reporting party told Jackson, according to the probable cause affidavit, the two had been arguing and he asked her to leave the residence. Since Rilenge had been staying at the residence for more than six months, Allen said she would need to be evicted. The reporting party later filed an eviction case against Rilenge.

When Officer Jackson spoke with Rilenge, according to the probable cause affidavit, she said she did not know where the items were and alleged she did not take them.

The reporting party, according to the probable cause affidavit, again searched the residence and was unable to find the missing items. Jackson again questioned Rilenge about the whereabouts of the items. Per the probable cause affidavit, she finally admitted to hiding the handgun but claimed she did not know where the keys and wallet were.

Officer Jackson checked in with the reporting party later that evening and was informed Rilenge had left the residence with a family member; however, after she was gone, he had noticed his kids backpacks, each including Chromebooks from the Linton-Stockton School Corporation, were missing. Officer Jackson reviewed footage from his body camera from earlier that evening and saw one of the backpacks lying on the floor inside the residence.

Prior to Rilenge leaving the residence, the reporting party said she gave him his key back; however, when he asked for the wallet back, she said it wasn’t happening, then left. He told Officer Jackson she was most likely going to the Terre Haute area.

On April 3, a female contacted the Linton Police Department stating her kids backpacks and Chromebooks had been located in a roadside ditch in Terre Haute. These were the same backpacks and Chromebooks the male reporting party reported missing on March 10. The Chromebooks, according to the probable cause, had been damaged due to rain. Each one of the devices cost approximately $400.

Upon Rilenge’s arrest, her bond was set at $4,000 surety with 10% cash allowed. She was released later the same day after posting $400.

Rilenge is scheduled to appear in court for an initial hearing on April 29.