LIVINGSTON PARRISH, La. (WAFB) - Detectives with the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office have been investigating the theft and resale of rentals via social media of heavy equipment from Home Depot stores.
Five people are wanted in connection with the investigation. Excavator WR
Sheriff Jason Ard said, “Two Livingston Parish residents contacted us regarding the purchase of three pieces of heavy equipment they located on Facebook Marketplace. The residents sold one excavator and were still in possession of the other two. The residents were later informed by the buyer that the excavator that was sold was actually a rental excavator and was repossessed by Home Depot representatives. The residents then turned to our detectives.”
The investigation by LPSO detectives uncovered a multi-state organized retail theft ring involving several individuals who were based out of Mississippi and operating in the Houston, Texas, and Atlanta, Georgia areas.
Sheriff Ard stated, “The investigation uncovered over forty pieces of heavy equipment rented by individuals utilizing counterfeit state ID cards. To date, a total of ten excavators and trailers have been recovered in Livingston Parish ($307,000.00 value in equipment and trailers) and a stolen 2021 Dodge Charger Hellcat (Valued at $89,000.00) was recovered in Hattiesburg, Miss associated with this investigation.”
According to authorities, the following have been tied to the ongoing investigation:
*Picked up in MS, transported to LPDC. Bonded on 10/12/23. Bond: $75,000
*Picked up in Georgia on unrelated charges. Will be extradited to LPDC.
*Turned herself in to LPDC. Bonded on 8/30/23. Bond: $75,000
*Processed into LPDC. Bonded 7/13/23. Bond: $150,000
*Processed info LPDC. Bonded 7/25/23. Bond: $92,500
Sheriff Jason Ard added, “This investigation has been ongoing since May 2023. We have come a long way. But, we aren’t done yet. As a matter of fact, information our detectives helped uncover during this case is now part of an auto theft ring being looked at right now by our partners in another state.”
Deputies say if you recently purchased heavy equipment online and may be concerned with that purchase, detectives are available to help you sort through it.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call 225-686-2241 x1 or Crime Stoppers at (225) 344-STOP (7867).
Louisiana law only allows the release of certain mugshots. In this case, only those of wanted individuals are allowed.
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