7 Arrested in Multi-State ATV Thefts

Sheriff Sam Craft of the Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office announces that officials in Texas and Oklahoma have located seven suspects in relation to a theft of all-terrain vehicles which took place in November 2015 in Vernon Parish.

The owner of a local ATV dealership contacted the Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office on November 29th, 2015 and indicated that four all-terrain vehicles had been taken from his business during the night time hours. The ATV’s were valued at $ 160,000.00 by the owner.

Detectives responded to the location and observed the theft on surveillance video .

VPSO Detectives immediately issued a bulletin advising all law enforcement agencies within Louisiana and Texas of the theft via the NCIC (Nation Crime Information Center).

Through the course of the investigation VPSO Detectives and Detectives from the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office worked together when it was learned that the suspects had in fact stolen two box type trucks from a business located within Rapides Parish.

Further examination of the video evidence identified the stolen box trucks as the vehicles used to transport the ATV’s away from the Vernon Parish business.

A few weeks later VPSO Detectives were contacted by the Sulphur Springs (Texas) Police Department regarding the recovery of one of the ATV’s reported stolen in Vernon Parish.

VPSO Detectives continued to communicate with Texas and Oklahoma Law Enforcement Officials and to date all four of the ATV’s stolen in Vernon Parish have been recovered.

The multi state investigation has determined that a group of up to 22 persons have been identified as being involved in a multi state theft ring reaching as far as Tennessee.

VPSO has prepared warrants and will be extraditing the suspects as soon as Texas law enforcement officials indicate that they are ready for transport.

Law enforcement officials have indicated that the suspects are known to be responsible for $ 468,000.00 worth of ATV thefts in Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma.

Several of the suspects have fled and are currently considered as fugitives as they are wanted by law enforcement agencies in numerous states.

Sheriff Craft would like to express his appreciation to all of the law enforcement agencies who worked so diligently to identify and arrest the persons responsible for this significant criminal activity.