Man steals liquor truck hoping to sell contents to pay off drug debt, police say

MUNCIE, Ind. — An Indiana man is accused of stealing a liquor truck, hoping to sell the beer and spirits in the vehicle to pay off a drug debt, authorities said.

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According to Delaware County Sheriff’s Office online booking records, Beau Thomas Burchel, 39, of Gaston, was arrested on Thursday. He faces theft charges.

The Muncie Police Department said that Burchel was sitting in his vehicle outside the Cheers BBQ Restaurant and Bar in Muncie when he noticed a delivery truck full of beer and liquor pull up, WXIN-TV reported.

Police said that Burchel allegedly stole the box truck and drove away, according to the television station. Officials spotted the vehicle in a field behind the Shriners Club.

Officers arriving at the scene said they saw Burch running into some nearby woods near the edge of a cornfield, WXIN reported. The suspect was discovered hiding under a bush, according to the television station.

According to police, Burchel allegedly admitted to stealing the truck. He allegedly planned to unload the booze from the drug and sell the spirits to pay off his drug debt.

Police said that Burchel had damaged the truck by ripping out its camera systems and tearing away its GPS device, WXIN reported.

The truck’s value was estimated to be approximately $50,000, according to the television station. The liquor, which consisted of assorted beers and liquor and was still in the back of the truck, had an estimated value of $12,000, WXIN reported.

Burchel remains in the Delaware County Jail, with bail set at $20,000, online records show.

Final charges will be decided by the Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office, according to WXIN.

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