Heavy/HGTV/YouTube Ben and Erin Napier's truck was stolen from one of their homes in Laurel, Mississippi
Two Mississippi police departments have launched an investigation into who stole Erin and Ben Napier‘s vintage Chevy Blazer in an overnight burglary. In the early morning hours of February 8, 2024, the vehicle was taken from the HGTV couple’s carport at their primary home in Laurel, according to multiple reports.
After Ben shared details of the theft and offered reward money in a private Facebook post, according to Pine Belt News, the vehicle was recovered — but police say those responsible remain at large.
This is the latest in a string of unsettling incidents the Napiers have had to report to police recently.
Here’s what you need to know:
Security Camera Footage Shows Burglary in Process at Napiers’ Home
discovery plus / YouTubeBen Napier with one of his treasured vintage trucks
Ben’s truck was stolen from the couple’s longtime residence in the historic district of Laurel, where they film “Home Town.” In 2022, the couple bought a second property, which they call their “country house,” on a large plot of wooded land on the outskirts of town.
Though Ben’s original Facebook post about his stolen truck is not publicly viewable, several local community members including family friend W. Dale Keyes have shared the photos. They include two security camera images of one or two suspects in the process of stealing the truck from a carport at the Napier’s primary home in Laurel. The photos were time-stamped 1:38 a.m. on February 8 and Keyes claimed there were two people involved.
It is not likely the Napiers were at the property during the burglary, since they’ve been quarantining at their country home while recovering from Covid.
Laurel police chief Tommy Cox told WDAM that no arrests had been made. He also said his department had teamed up with police in Hattiesburg, located about 30 miles south, on an ongoing investigation into the theft. It’s not clear if that’s where the distinct gold-and-cream-colored truck was found.
Ben is a vintage truck enthusiast with a collection that includes multiple old Chevys, including the baby blue 1962 Chevrolet C-10 seen in episodes of “Home Town,” per Country Living. In October 2023, he posted an Instagram photo of a navy-and-tan Chevy R20 pickup truck and teased that a “new character” would be introduced in the upcoming eighth season of the show.
In August 2022, after the season finale of NBC’s “This Is Us,” the Napiers also purchased one of the two vintage Jeep Wagoneers that were used by the Pearson family in the series. Their good friend Chris Sullivan, the actor who played Toby on the show, owns the other.
The Napiers Have Had to Call Police Over Other Incidents in Recent Months
The theft of Ben’s truck is just the latest unsettling incident that has required the Napiers to call the police over the last year.
In January, Erin revealed another theft via Instagram, which occurred during filming. While she and Ben were shooting a recently aired episode of “Home Town,” featuring the back deck installation of a stainless steel hot tub, Erin said someone stole the entire hot tub while it was en route to the home, which delayed production for weeks.
Even more disturbing, the Napiers also had to call the police in October 2023 when security cameras at their country home captured images of a man walking on their property, on two separate nights, carrying an AR-15 style rifle, according to the Laurel Leader.
The paper reported that Erin’s mom, Karen Rasberry, posted one of the images on her Facebook page, asking if anyone recognized the man with the firearm. She said that he was spotted by trail cameras twice on nights that the Napiers weren’t home.
“This is terrifying and I’m shaking all over,” Rasberry wrote in her post. “Is he hunting an animal or my family? We are in a panic.”
After investigating, police determined it was a local man who thought he heard coyotes or panthers in the woods. The Laurel Leader reported that he was not charged with a crime, but was warned not to step on the Napiers’ property again.
The incident was especially nerve-wracking for the family, the paper said, given that they had to file a restraining order in 2021 against a California man who was stalking their family.