SLIDELL, La. — Slidell Police are asking for your help, they're looking for a man who could possibly be involved in 10-car thefts across Slidell. Police fear more suspects could be involved and are now calling it an organized crime ring.
Daniel Seuzeneau from Slidell Police says the department has already arrested a 20-year-old responsible for ten car thefts. Now they’re searching for McClendon. Investigators believe the duo worked together, casing out gas stations hoping to steal cars.
“Anybody who is brazen enough to steal another person’s vehicle when they're within several feet, I would consider that person dangerous," said Seuzeneau.
“We would see a car pull up and stake out the parking lot my words prey upon the victims, wait for somebody to be distracted, pumping gas and or going inside the store after leaving their vehicle running or unattended and one of the subjects would jump out of their car, get into the victims vehicle and then drive off with it,” he said.
Drivers we talked to are concerned, Dustin Wilkinson said, “There needs to be more patrol more security around.”
While Zina Mixon said, "I am so terrified, cause right now I am pumping gas.
Seuzeneau says the pair stole 10 cars from September to the end of November 2022, stealing cars from the Circle K on Voters Road and from Esporta Fitness.
Seuzeneau said, “The same individual was breaking into lockers, at the gym, taking keys to keys, hitting the fob and stealing vehicles that way.”
Jack Runner who goes to the gym says the center did not alert users this was happening. “It kind of concerns me, I didn’t have any idea of this was going on, I didn’t receive any sort of notification or any direction that this was happening, so its kinda concerning because I live just down the road,” he said.
“This is part of a much larger ring, used in other crimes, sold, maybe some VIN swapping going on, it’s a much broader organization that expands bigger than Slidell,” Seuzeneau said.
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