A well-known Indianapolis businessman suspects the two men who robbed him at gunpoint early Sunday knew he owned a jewelry store.
Gary Thrapp, who owns G Thrapp Jewelers in the 5600 block of North Illinois, is recovering from two gunshot wounds to the abdomen at St. Vincent Indianapolis Hospital.
Thrapp talked to Eyewitness News via phone from his hospital bed following surgery, saying, "I think it will be a little while, but I'll be okay. It could have been a lot worse, a lot worse. I'm lucky."
Thrapp feels lucky in that he wasn't killed and lucky the bullets didn't hit a vital organ. Thrapp said he and his wife Barbara were asleep in their home along Bay Road North Drive on Clearwater Lake when they awoke to a noise outside their patio door.
"Just as I saw them and they saw me, they crashed through the screen door," he said. "The first jolt was just looking at these guys. They were people on a mission."
Thrapp said the men wanted cash and jewelry. As he fought them, they shot him twice and tied up his wife.
"I didn't admit to owning a jewelry store, but I'm sure they knew," he said, telling them to take whatever. "I would just as soon you have everything and leave no doubt about it and walk out of here and go away."
Thrapp estimates they were in the house for roughly ten minutes. As soon as they left, his wife untied herself and called 911.
Thrapps is normally closed Monday and today was no exception, but a month-long remodeling job continued at Gary's insistence.
Ellen Bower, a jewelry designer and vice president at G Thrapp, spoke to Thrapp's optimism when she said, "I heard he thinks he's coming back this week, but we hope not. He needs to take his time and recover well."
Thrapp opened the store in 1984, when the area was in decline and few were willing to risk the investment.
Carol Mueller, a long-time Meridian-Kessler resident, said she remembered, "Gary driving to work in his old rusted BMW. He really put so much energy and enthusiasm into getting himself started."
The effort paid off. The block, with its retail stores, meat market and art gallery, is a thriving destination for neighbors and beyond.
As Bower noted, "When I started, it was just the front of the store here and one room. So he worked non-stop developing not only this store, but the entire city block here."
Dave Rollins owns Kincaid's Meat Market, which is nearby. "He doesn't just do it for his company. He's doing it for the whole center," said Rollins.
For years, Thrapp held a huge holiday open house at his store, with traffic tied up for blocks around. He also helped organize pep rallies for the Butler Bulldogs when they headed to the Final Four and provides the one-of-a-kind pendant necklaces for the 500 Festival princesses, among many other things.
"Anytime you need help or there's something going on you can always go to Gary and he jumps right in," Rollins said.
Even though the robbers are still on the loose, Thrapp said he won't be intimidated. He feels it's important to speak out.
"if you see somebody that doesn't seem to belong in your neighborhood or you see suspicious activity, I think we need to get involved," he said. "I don't look over my shoulder. I just keep going ahead, whether it's the bad economy or something like this, I think we'll all be okay."
