Maurice police chief alerts public of thefts

MAURICE — Village of Maurice Police Chief Warren Rost is urging citizens to be aware of any suspicious vehicles after a pair of recent thefts in the area.
In early April, an unidentified subject stole a four-wheeler ATV from a residence on La. Highway 92. The second reported theft occurred on May 10, Mother’s Day, when another unidentified subject took a trailer and lawn mower from a residence on Andre Avenue.
“We want to let the public know that our officers are out there,” Rost told the Maurice Village Board of Aldermen Wednesday during its general meeting. “Things like this happen and sometimes can’t be prevented. These both happened in plain daylight.
“Please advise all of your constituents to be aware of their surroundings.”
Rost said he cannot yet confirm if the two thefts are connected. He said his department is working collecting information to build the case.
“We are waiting on some video footage from a couple of places,” Rost said. “I don’t want to say they are connected until we review all of the surveillance video and verify that for certain.”
Still, Rost said if any citizen sees a vehicle or subject with whom they are not familiar, make a call to the police.
“Don’t feel bad about calling,” Rost said. “If it is your neighbor’s nephew who is picking up a trailer, and we run their and ask him questions, so be it. We will deal with that.
“If you see something strange in someone’s yard, it may not be anything, but we still need to check it out because of what has happened.”
Rost said that it is important to keep the thefts from growing in number, such as what happened a couple of years ago, when thefts occurred over a multiple-parish area.
“If you see anything, we need to know,” Rost said. “We need to be vigilante because, when this happened two years ago, it was a rash that lasted two months.
“We are trying to nip it in the bud.”
Rost said Maurice Police are working closely with the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office in regard to the case. Again, it is the help of citizens that can make all the difference.
“We need people,” Rost said. “We need people to see and call 911.
“We need to be aware of our surroundings, so that it doesn’t happen like it did years ago.”