Greensburg police looking for Indiana County man in connection with daylight SUV theft

Greensburg police have obtained an arrest warrant for an Indiana County man who they accuse of stealing a woman’s SUV as she was filling it with gas Tuesday after receiving a tip regarding the theft, according to court documents.

Police are still looking for the suspect, Darryl L. Higgins, 38. According to online dockets, he has a criminal record dating back 18 years for incidents in Armstrong, Clearfield and Indiana counties.

Greensburg patrolman John Carnes acquired a warrant Wednesday afternoon seeking the arrest of Higgins for multiple criminal charges including robbery of a motor vehicle, receiving stolen property, theft and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

According to the criminal complaint, police received a tip from an informant shortly after the theft of the 2016 Subaru Outback was posted by police on its Facebook page.

According to court documents, the SUV’s female driver was pumping gas at the Sunoco/7-Eleven store on Mt. Pleasant Street just before noon when Higgins jumped in and drove away.

Police disclosed in court documents that the informant told investigators Higgins was looking for transportation back to Indiana Borough, where he lives.

Lt. Jason Gain said no one was hurt during the theft.

Police also charged Higgins, who was not wearing shoes, with stealing a bottle of soda pop from the store.

Police said the owner reported they recently purchased the 2016 Subaru Outback for $26,000. The victim also lost her cell phone and wallet during the SUV theft, according to Carnes.

According to court documents, Higgins had been treated earlier Tuesday morning at Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital in Greensburg for an undisclosed medical ailment.

Carnes reported that security video from the hospital provided to police showed Higgins coming into the hospital “on a stretcher” for treatment just after 8 a.m. and then walking out of the hospital without shoes about two hours later.

After pulling from the Sunoco on to Urania Street and eventually turning on to Laird Avenue, Higgins drove for a mile along the Five Star Trail, which Carnes said is prohibited for motor vehicles.

Police obtained video of the SUV eventually exiting the trail at Lynch Field in Greensburg, where he drove on to the walking path there and eventually heading north on to Route 119 north toward Indiana.

Officers were able to track a signal from the woman’s cell phone near New Alexandria, but were unable to locate the SUV or phone.

Police also charged Higgins with driving on a DUI suspended license. According to online dockets, in 2021 Higgins was sentenced in Indiana County to serve a six-to-23 month sentence on drug related charges. He was paroled in October.