By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

HAHNVILLE – Sheriff’s deputies in St. Charles Parish have arrested eight teenagers who are allegedly responsible for a rash of vehicle burglaries in the Destrehan and St. Rose areas earlier this month.

Sheriff Greg Champagne said two groups of teenagers arrested Tuesday and Wednesday are responsible for breaking into or stealing property from more than 40 vehicles in the area. Champagne said the groups were not working together.

Champagne said the five teens arrested Tuesday are accused of breaking into about 10 vehicles in the Destrehan area during the early morning hours of June 19. The group is also charged with burglarizing a home in the New Sarpy area that same evening.

Champagne said the second group, arrested Wednesday, included three teenagers accused of targeting about 30 vehicles in the Destrehan and St. Rose areas between June 13 through June 19. Many of the vehicles were left unlocked and multiple items, including one handgun taken from a vehicle on Shadowlane Drive in Destrehan, were found inside the vehicles. Champagne said in a statement that he encourages all residents not to leave valuables in plain sight and always park in well-lit areas when possible.

Those arrested Tuesday were: Brock Beck, 17, 503 West Lawson St., New Sarpy, booked with 10 counts of burglary of a movable and simple burglary; Zachary Demers, 17, 111 West East St., New Sarpy, booked with possession of stolen property; a 15-year-old boy from Destrehan, booked with 10 counts of burglary of a moveable; a 16-year-old juvenile from New Sarpy, booked with 10 counts of burglary of a moveable; and a 16-year-old boy from Norco, booked with simple burglary of a residence an 10 counts of burglary of a moveable. The names of the arrested minors were not released.

Those arrested Wednesday were: John Wells, 17, 240 Murray Hill Drive, Destrehan, booked with 30 counts of burglary of a moveable; Jared Simoneaux, 19, 224 Murray Hill Drive, Destrehan, booked with 10 counts of burglary of a moveable; and a 15-year-old juvenile from Destrehan, booked with possession of a stolen firearm.