Female driver gives stranger $10; he thanks her by carjacking her car near Abbeville

A lady thought she was doing a good deed Sunday by giving a stranger $10 because he described his hardships and asked her for money. He thanked her by showing her a holstered firearm and threatening to shoot her if she did not step away from the car.
Fearing harm, the victim stepped away and watched as the suspect drove off with her car.
This crime occurred at around 5:15 p.m. in the parking lot of a convenience store located just outside the city limits of Abbeville. The male asked the lady if she believed in Jesus before he took her money and her car.
After the man drove off in her car, the lady walked into the convenience store and told the clerk her car had been carjacked. The Sheriff’s Office was called.
The lady explained what occurred to the deputies and also mentioned that her cell phone was still in the car.
Within an hour after the carjacking occurred, the Sheriff’s Office located the car at a home in Kaplan on E. Amy and S. Herpin streets.
The Sheriff’s Office assisted by the Kaplan Police Department and the State Police surrounded the area. Canine units, Sheriff’s deputies and assisting agencies later located and arrested Devin Johnson (D.O.B. 12/17/87), near the home, charging him with carjacking. He was booked into the parish jail and his bond was set at $50,000. As of Monday morning, he was still locked up in the parish jail.
The vehicle was returned to the lady Sunday night.
According to Sheriff Mike Couvillon, the effort to locate and arrest the carjacking suspect was a well coordinated effort led by his deputies and assisted by the Kaplan Police Department and State Police.
“I want to thank all of my deputies that responded to and investigated this crime along with the agencies that assisted. It’s another fine example of how the teamwork of well trained law enforcement officers doing their job to protect and serve the public well,” said the Sheriff.
The Sheriff is reminding everyone not to be so trusting when approached by strangers asking for money or a ride.
This incident serves as a sharp reminder of how fast anyone can be taken advantage of.
Exercising caution and safety at all times when you are alone in parking lots helps to reduce the chance that these criminals will target you, he said.
The simple things like trying to park in lighted areas, having your keys in hand while walking to your car, quickly looking into your car before you enter and locking the doors as soon as you enter a safe car can help reduce the chance of becoming a victim to this type of crime. The Sheriff also said that the victim did the right thing by stepping aside to avoid a potentially legal confrontation because a car can always be replaced but a human life cannot.