Two Baton Rouge men were arrested October 28, 2021 for stealing metal from the St. John Parish’s utilities yard in LaPlace. Naquel Dotch, 32, and Armand Steward, 33, were booked with theft – $1,000 – $5,000 (felony). Both are being held in custody in lieu of a $4,000 bond.

On Thursday, October 28, 2021, about 11:40 a.m., officers responded to a complaint of a theft of metal from the parish’s public utilities yard on Elm Street.

Officers located the truck and trailer fitting the description of the suspect vehicle at the intersection of West 5th Street and West 2nd Street, and conducted an investigatory stop on the vehicle. Deputies made contact with the driver of the vehicle, identified as Steward, and the passenger, identified as Dotch, who fit the description of the suspects. The metal, valued at about $1,000, was recovered.