Gary officer faces 2 felonies in salvage auto title investigation | Crime and Courts

According to records in the criminal case, Range signed off on 18 individual affidavits for restoration of a salvage vehicle that were subsequently submitted by a Gary car lot to the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. 

On each form, Range certified he was a law enforcement officer in Indiana and had personally examined each vehicle, its major components and ownership documents, according to court records.

Range attested that the salvage restoration of each vehicle conformed with the law and that making a false statement on the form could result in a perjury charge, records state.

Salvage title applications help ensure stolen auto parts are not being used to restore wrecked vehicles, police said.

Gary police became involved in the investigation after a BMV employee contacted the department regarding an investigation into salvage title applications submitted by Indiana Imports, 4100 Grant St. 

The owner of Indiana Imports initially told investigators he paid Range $30 for each salvage title and that Range had physically inspected each vehicle, records state.

Indiana State Police determined Range had used the computer in his police car to check the vehicle identification numbers of just two of the 18 vehicles, according to documents.

The applications were submitted to the BMV between May 8 and Sept. 24, records show.