NEW ORLEANS — Eyewitness News told you about some thieves who broke into Habitat for Humanity and stole shingles earlier this week.
It appears three days later those thieves struck again, this time targeting a roofing business in New Orleans East, and again they were caught on camera.
Paul Fischer from Fischer's Roofing sat down with Eyewitness News as he described the surveillance video showing the thieves.
"On the left, you will see the headlights of the dually right there backing up to the fence," he said.
2:41 Tuesday morning the thieves arrive. Fischer said they pulled up their truck to the back of his roofing company on Chef Menteur Highway.
“A group of guys pulled up in a white dually truck they used this lot with access from the church behind here, pulled in the back and pulled the dually up to this gate right here where they cut the lock, when they cut the luck they opened it up. Obviously, they had shingles, and they offloaded the shingles into the back of the truck.”
The truck used in this theft - appears to be similar to the one used in a theft at Habitat for Humanity last weekend.
The crimes didn't stop there, Fischer says they spotted a broken-down company truck with keys inside. The thieves tried to tow it out but got their truck stuck on the way out. Around 6:30 am, a tow truck with markings that say 'Speedy’s Auto and Recovery', arrives. 45 minutes later - the owners pull in.
“He takes a look at him and pulls around back really quickly to go see the incident, and as soon as he sees Billy and notices that he must be someone of importance the truck pulls off," said Fischer.
One of the owners of the roofing company called 911 at 6:34 a.m. Calls for service show, 20 hours later officers were dispatched at 1:18 a.m., arriving at the business at 1:32 a.m. A business that operates 9-5. Fast forward two and half days later, after we reached out to NOPD an officer arrived at Fischer's Roofing at 4:20 Friday afternoon.”
Surveillance video shows the officer get out of her car and knock on the front door but the owners weren't inside, and the officer didn't call the designated phone numbers on the front door.
Fischer's Roofing estimates a $6000 loss and they say this isn’t the first time they’ve been victims of crime. “It’s a nerve-wracking situation, kiss your kids goodbye every morning and you wonder what’s going to happen throughout the day especially coming out to New Orleans East for business every day.”
The business now plans to leave New Orleans East.
NOPD said in a statement that the Seventh District Captain is working to have the situation resolved. The statement went on to say, "Department’s dispatch system works on a priority level system, and the call for this incident did not have a life-threatening or endangering aspect and was placed on a less immediate priority until an officer was clear to respond."
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