On April 17, detectives with the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office began investigating the theft of a trailer containing a Kubota tractor and equipment. The trailer and equipment were stolen from the American Legion Hall in Bogalusa following an event that had taken place on Saturday night, April 15th.
A WPSO detective was able to review video footage from a nearby business and determined that the equipment was stolen at approximately 9:30 pm on Sunday, April 16th. The video footage showed a white Ford truck with a flatbed on the back of the truck entering the driveway from the west and exiting with the trailer to the east.
Later in the day the detective received a phone call stating that the truck with the equipment was seen at Stateline Pentecostal Church at approximately 9 AM on April 17th. The detective searched the area and was unable to locate the equipment.
The detective then received acall from the owner of the Kubota Tractor dealership in Natchez, MS stating that he had a truck and trailer matching the description parked outside his dealership. The Natchez Police Department was contacted and, when they arrived at the dealership they were able to verify that the equipment was in fact still stolen.
At that time, Carey Gendron, age 46,was arrested and charged with possession of stolen property.
Gendron is currently being held at the Natchez jail awaiting a hearing for extradition.
The Washington Parish Sheriff’s Department is issuing an arrest warrant for one count of LA Revised Statute 14:67B.1, theft of more than $25,000, based off LA Revised Statute 15:432 Effect of Legal Presumption; that the person in the unexplained possession of property recently stolen is the thief. Gendron has eleven prior arrests with the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office dating back to March of 2010.
"The Washington Parish Sheriff's Office would like to thank the Natchez Police Department for their help and cooperation in this investigation and for the quick recovery of the tractor and equipment," stated Sheriff Randy Seal.
