Abbeville Police Chief Hardy pays close attention to Lafayette robberies

Lafayette Police have responded to 20 robbery calls in three weeks.
It is a pattern that has caused not only a concern for police in the area’s largest city, but for law enforcement in surrounding areas. Abbeville Police Chief Tony Hardy said he has paid close attention to the recent crimes in Lafayette.
“It’s a concern,” Hardy said. “You hope that people are aware of what is going on because it is so close right there in Lafayette. You see things like that in bigger cities.
“That doesn’t mean they can’t venture off to a smaller town.”
However, there is no need for undue concern with crimes and suspects from the incidents in Lafayette spreading.
Hardy said the department has extra patrol out, something already planned prior to the increasing incidents in Lafayette. Hardy said that move has come in advance of the holiday season.
“We have extra patrol out and we will run that all the way through the holidays,” the Chief said.
Understandably, this time of year does create a sense of desperation for some.
“People become desperate,” Hardy said. “They want to do the same things that other people who have jobs do. Most of the people (committing crimes) don’t have jobs and they get desperate. They want to provide for families or whatever, but they get desperate.
“There are no excuses but they still do it.”
Hardy said anyone who suspects a crime to call the department.
“Even if you have a slight suspicion,” Hardy said. “I would rather go on a false call than not having it reported it at all.”
Again, the department is as well prepared as it can be during this time of year.
“We’ve had a meeting with the department on how people get during the holidays,” Hardy said. “We have told our officers what to be aware of.”
Even though the crimes are taking place in Lafayette, the distance is not far enough.
“You can’t take it lightly,” Hardy said. “People could say that this is Abbeville and things like that couldn’t happen here.
“It is happening in a bigger city right now but it can happen anywhere.”