ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / August 26, 2000

GARYVILLE – St. John the Baptist Parish deputies have apprehended oneburglar and are asking for the community’s help in finding another who was involved in five auto burglaries on Timbermill Loop in Garyville.

Capt. Mike Tregre of the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office said Thursdaynight a woman who lives on Timbermill Loop heard a noise coming from her garage. When she went to investigate she saw a person running fromthe garage. She went into the garage and noticed the radio was missingfrom her car.

When deputies responded to the woman’s 9-1-1 call they found a set of muddy footprints leading from the garage. Deputies followed the trail toanother auto burglary farther down the street, and as they continued to follow the trail they noticed two people running from a garage.

The suspects were ordered to halt but kept running. Deputy Scott Mailletgave chase, and after jumping over a 6-foot fence was able to catch one of the suspects.

Lance Steptoe, 19, 407 Historic East, Garyville, was arrested and charged with three counts of auto burglary. He is in the St. John Parish jail under a$28,000 bond set by District Judge Mary Becnel.

Even though Steptoe confessed to the burglaries, he did not say who his partner was. All he told authorities was that his accomplice’s nicknameis “Dude.”Tregre said all the stolen property was recovered. Steptoe and hisaccomplice had stolen several CD players, car radios and cellular phones.

Detective Sgt. Eddie Cooper is asking anybody with any information on theother burglar to give him a call at 652-777 or call the sheriff’s office at 652-9513.

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