A warrant is out for the arrest of a man suspected of stealing a John Deer Gator and an EZ-GO golf cart from a residence in eastern Greene County. He’s also a suspect in other thefts, but a detective says he was able to tie this man to these particular thefts when the ISP Lab got a match between the DNA of the suspect and a DNA profile obtained from a recovered flashlight used during the thefts.

Nash Tyler Garrett, 36, of Bloomington, is wanted in Greene County on preliminary charges of burglary – a Level 5 felony, and theft where the value of the property is between $750 and $50,000 – a Level 6 felony.

Det. Sgt. James O’Malley of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department said this case has been under investigation since late June when Larry Martindale reported a burglary of his property located in an area along State Road 45 in eastern Greene County.

Missing items included a 2014 John Deere Gator 825I and a 2004 EZ-GO golf cart plus assorted tools.

In addition, another golf cart was stolen during the same time period of June 23-25 from the property of Ivan Sparks in the same general area.

Several sets of tire tracks were discovered going to and from the Martindale property and from the Sparks property, and along a shoulder of State Road 45.

While tracing these tracks, a black flashlight was found in the grass – it was sent to the Indiana State Police Laboratory for DNA analysis.

O’Malley said that based on the tire tracks, it appeared the Sparks’ golf cart was stolen first then driven approximately ¼ to ½ mile to the Martindale property where the other two vehicles were stolen.

It’s believed that the stolen vehicles were then driven to a nearby location where a truck and trailer were parked, then loaded up and transported out of the area late on June 24.

The investigation got a break on August 5 when Monroe County Sheriff’s Deputies located a possible stolen trailer at a property on South Rockport Road. They ran a check on four vehicles parked in the driveway and discovered two of the four had been reported as stolen.

Two suspects were then arrested in Monroe County, Dustin Mizell, 36, Bloomington, and Nash Garrett. The deputies reported that when Garrett was arrested, he was in possession of a set of keys that belonged to a stolen yellow Caterpillar Skid Steer located on the Rockport Road property.

Following these arrests, deputies advised detectives of the potential of additional stolen property on Rockport Road based on an extreme number of vehicles, ATVs, tools, firearms and electronics that were there.

A search warrant was obtained and among the items recovered were the John Deer Gator and the EZ-GO golf cart belonging to Martindale and the golf cart belonging to Ivan Sparks.

The next break came last week. O’Malley explained the Indiana State Police Laboratory sent a notice to the Greene County Sheriff’s Department that they had a match between a convicted offender DNA sample and the DNA profile obtained off the recovered flashlight.

The convicted offender was Nash Garrett.

Greene County Prosecutor Jarrod Holtsclaw filed the criminal case against Garrett on Friday in Greene Circuit Court and Judge Erik Allen ordered a warrant be issued for Garrett’s arrest.