Sheriff’s Office Arrests Suspect in Pair of West Side Smoke Shop Burglaries

EVANSVILLE, IN — A 22-year-old Evansville resident is behind bars after being arrested by the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office in connection with a pair of commercial burglaries on the city’s West Side. The suspect, identified as Trinstan Michael Wilson, allegedly targeted the same business twice in a three-week span.

Repetitive Break-Ins at Pearl Drive Business

Deputies responded to the West Side Smoke Shop, located on Pearl Drive, following two distinct commercial burglaries. The first incident occurred on August 4, 2025, and the second on August 21, 2025. In both instances, the suspect gained entry by smashing the glass front doors and proceeded to steal a large quantity of vapes and vape cartridges.

Surveillance and Customer Loyalty Program Lead to Suspect

Sheriff's detectives launched a detailed investigation, analyzing surveillance footage from the smoke shop and neighboring retail stores. The footage revealed that the intruder wore the same distinctive clothing during both break-ins and exhibited a noticeable leg issue or limp. Furthermore, the suspect vehicle, a sedan with an obscured license plate, was tracked using Flock license plate reader cameras in the area.

A major breakthrough occurred when employees suggested the burglar might be a regular customer. Detectives cross-referenced the shop's loyalty program records and identified Wilson. The suspect vehicle was also traced to Wilson’s grandmother, with whom he resided.

Search Warrant and Arrest

On August 22, 2025, detectives executed a search warrant at the grandparents' residence where Wilson was staying. Inside the home, deputies recovered the clothing and shoes worn during the crimes, several stolen vapes, and a hammer. The hammer, which was left at the scene of the second burglary, was identified by Wilson’s grandfather as his own property.

Wilson was booked into the Vanderburgh County Jail on multiple charges, including two counts of Burglary (Level 5 Felony), two counts of Theft (Class A Misdemeanor), and two counts of Criminal Mischief (Class A Misdemeanor).