Washington Parish has seen a rise of reports about thefts from residences both vacant and occupied. Many thieves are targeting residences when they know the home owners are not home. Often the thieves will come to a residence in the middle of the day and blow their vehicle’s horn or knock on the door to determine if anyone is home. Sheriff Randy Seal is requesting the public to be aware of any suspicious vehicles and persons not generally seen in a neighborhood and report these sightings.
Any property or dwellings that appear vacant have also recently been targeted by thieves searching for scrap items. These thieves will locate such a property and can cause thousands of dollars’ worth of damage just to steal enough scrap items to generate a $50-$60 profit in selling the items as junk.
A.T.V.s and Zero-Turn Lawnmowers tend to be another hot ticket item for thieves. Citizens should take precautions to keep such items secured and locked and possibly under camera surveillance.
Another precaution the public is asked to take is to avoid leaving valuables inside of a locked or unlocked car. Recently there has been been a total of five vehicle burglaries and/or criminal damages reported by citizens parking their vehicle near a river and returning to find someone has stolen items from their vehicle or caused damage.
The Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office is vigilantly taking measures in countering these thieves and bringing them to justice, but collaboration with the public and other surrounding agencies is always essential for any policing organization.
Some recent activity and arrests in the parish includes:
On June 19th, Deputy Kevin Bond responded to a call from a property owner of a Dairy Barn on Chess Bankston Rd who observed a vehicle backed up in the middle of the day on his property. After investigating that complaint, Deputy Bond was able to arrest Justin Wallace for Attempted Theft and Criminal Trespassing.
On June 19, 2014, Criminal Investigators along with the Drug Task Force arrested Anthony “Spuds” Lee and Rodriguez Daniels for Felony Possession of Stolen Property for being in possession of a stolen A.T.V. from Walthall County Mississippi. Arrest warrants were obtained for their arrest following a joint investigation with Walthall County Sheriff’s Office. Other charges could be forthcoming on this crime duo that may clear other theft related incidents.
On June 18, 2014, Captain Tommie Sorrell investigated a burglary occurring on S. Columbia Road in Bogalusa where many items including appliances were stolen from a residence. Captain Sorrell located the stolen items and followed the clues left behind by the criminals, which lead to the arrest of James A. Casey for Possession of Stolen Property. The other suspect was identified as Keith Rodell Jones who was apprehended by Bogalusa Police Department and arrested on a Traffic Attachment and for being in Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Jones remains in the Bogalusa Jail, but he will be arrested on an active warrant for Simple Burglary once he completes that jail sanction.
Criminals have kept investigators busy, especially during the summer months when crime rates often peak. Investigators are asking anyone with information pertaining to the whereabouts of Nathan Womack to call the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office (985) 839-3434. Callers may remain anonymous. Womack is wanted for Simple Burglary for his role in breaking into a shed in the Mt. Hermon area. Investigators are also asking anyone with information pertaining to the malicious damage to a house undergoing renovations on David Drive in Franklinton in May 2014 to also please call.
Nathan Womack
Administration
