“Close to tears”; At least 3 report vehicle break-ins during Fever game

INDIANAPOLIS — Tuesday was a tragic end for Indiana Fever fans as they watched the Dallas Wings clinch a one-point win. For some, the loss was only the start of a night of bad luck. 

Dale Kuklinski and his wife walked back to their truck after the game to find their rear window had been smashed in.

“There was glass everywhere,” Kuklinski said. 

The Kuklinskis are Fever superfans known for sporting colorful face paint at games. Now, having sat courtside for countless games, Tuesday’s game ended like no other. 

“Amazingly, the individuals did not take the Caitlin Clark shoe that I had in here or other things, but jumped through the back here, apparently and made their way into the front,” Kuklinski said. 

Shards still littered the parking garage nearly a day later. Along with the mess, Kuklinski’s navigation system is missing.

“Clearly it was taken out with purpose because they didn’t wreck any of the wires,” Kuklinski said. 

Money, jerseys and other valuables were left untouched in the car. Kuklinski’s police report is one of at least three that documents damaged cars and missing items from the garage during Tuesday’s Fever game.

“My wife has not experienced something like that,” Kuklinski said. “She was close to tears.”

IMPD said while downtown property crime as a whole is down, it doesn’t make it any easier when incidents happen. 

“We often see vehicle break-ins as a crime of opportunity,” Public Information Officer Drew Brown said. “Any time we get even one report, that’s disheartening. We don’t want to see that.”

The Kuklinskis don’t live in Indianapolis year-round. The Wisconsin couple stays with their fellow season ticket holders and courtside neighbors during home games. While Tuesday was unfortunate, Kuklinski said it’s little match for the love the city has shown him.

“Going to a fever game, there’s nothing like it,” Kuklinski said. “[There’s] so much positive energy from everybody, [the theft] doesn’t really taint it for me at all.”

IMPD said the investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made. FOX59/CBS4 reached out to the Virginia Avenue Parking Garage for comment, but has not heard back. 

As for Kuklinski, he still plans to be at every Fever game he can.

“I’ll just make sure I pick a different spot in the parking lot,” Kuklinski said.