ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / July 15, 2000

LAPLACE – Like the Hansel and Gretel fairy tale, St. John Parish detectivesliterally followed a trail of paper that led to the arrest of a 15-year-old LaPlace boy for auto burglary.

While investigating a rash of car burglaries on Main Street in LaPlace last week, Detective Andy Breaux noticed a trail of paper, made up of grocery receipts, business cards and memos going down Main Street.

As Breaux followed the trail he noticed a young man sitting in a car. Theymade eye contact, and Breaux recognized the boy as one he’d arrested last summer for the burglary of the Riverside Academy athletic department.

The paper trail led right to the same boy’s house.

After making some inquiries Breaux went to the boy’s house in LaPlace and took him to the St. John Sheriff’s Office along with the boy’s legalguardian.

During questioning the boy admitted to burglarizing six cars along Main Street.

None of the cars involved were damaged, according to Capt. Mike Tregre ofthe St. John Sheriff’s Office.”He was looking only for unlocked cars,” said Tregre. “He took cell phones,radar detectors, loose change, purses, CD’s, whatever he could get his hands on.”While walking back to his house the suspect went through the stolen property and threw away paper that didn’t seem to be worth anything.

“I think it is great that people feel safe enough to leave their cars unlocked,” said Tregre, “but these days people should be a lot more careful.”The young suspect is being held at the St. James Juvenile DetentionCenter.

The Sheriff’s Office has most of the stolen property from the burglaries, and if anyone feels their car was burglarized they should contact Breaux at 652-7777 to see if their property has been recovered.

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