Joseph Edward Romano, 47, of Merrillville, is facing felony charges after police say security video shows him burglarizing a protected construction site twice and then selling the stolen steel at a Gary scrapyard.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Hammond Police were dispatched to investigate two burglaries at a commercial construction site on the 3500 block of 169th Street. The Construction Property Manager for National Shopping Plaza informed detectives that the site was surrounded by a six-foot chain-link fence and a chain and padlock-secured gate.
Surveillance video shows that on January 24, 2026, at around 3:20 p.m., a white van approached the premises. The fence was demolished where two panels met, and bundles of metal wall studs worth more than $200 were stolen from the location.
The same white van was seen returning in video footage from February 3, 2026, around 4:05 p.m. The fence was again disassembled, and massive steel pipes worth more than $3,000 were removed. Seven minutes later, the vehicle left the site, hauling a trailer loaded with stolen supplies. The management informed authorities that the fence and gate were shut prior to both instances, and no one had authority to enter the property.
Investigators examined security footage from the construction site, surrounding license plate readers, and a Gary scrapyard. The van was identified as a 2008 Ford Econoline E250 with an Indiana plate that was registered to another vehicle.
A Lake County police officer had earlier discovered the identical vehicle improperly parked at a Merrillville motel on January 23, 2026, with the phony plate applied. The driver identified himself as Joseph Edward Romano and told police that he had recently purchased the van but did not have enough money to properly register it.
Police also discovered that the identical van had been highlighted in previous theft investigations in Munster on December 30, 2025, and Highland on January 5, 2026.
Surveillance from the Gary scrapyard revealed that the van, hauling a trailer, arrived on February 3, 2026, at 4:17 p.m. The video shows 198 pounds of steel being unloaded, and Romano receiving $198 in cash.
On February 7, 2026, the following individuals were lodged in the Lake County Jail:
Charges filed February 6,2026:
- Burglary — Level 5 Felony (2 counts)
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