By Monique Roth
L’Observateur

LAPLACE — A LaPlace teenager may spend Christmas in custody after an alert family member helped thwart a house burglary in progress.

St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a residence at 10:23 a.m. Friday in the 200 block of Elm Street in LaPlace following a burglary report.

A family member of whose residence was burglarized was passing the house and noticed a male standing in the open doorway. The family member stopped and confronted two male subjects in the house.

“The two burglars fled the residence,” Sheriff Mike Tregre said.

“When the resident of the house arrived, she saw several presents under the Christmas tree opened. She reported electronic devices missing and said other items in the house had been disturbed.”

Tregre said detectives arrested a suspect Friday, identifying him as a 15-year-old boy from Carmichael Court in LaPlace. He was booked with simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling and simple criminal damage to property.

As of Tuesday morning, Sgt. Dane Clement said he remained detained at the Assumption Parish Juvenile Detention Center.

Tregre said no descriptive information on the second suspect was available for release, but detectives have identified a person of interest, also a teenager, and are pursuing his arrest.

Several houses on Elm Street were targeted earlier this month in similar burglaries, Tregre said, adding he feels as though the two suspects in Friday’s case are good suspects for those.

The investigation is ongoing, and detectives encourage anyone with information regarding the burglary to call the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office TIPS line at 985-359-TIPS or Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.

Those with information who call Crimestoppers do not have to testify in court and may qualify for a cash reward.

Tips can also be submitted at stjohnsheriff.org/submitatip.php.