Police ID suspect in coin machine break-in
Published 11:21 am Friday, September 11, 2015
LAPLACE — St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives say they have identified a man who was caught on camera Aug. 28 breaking into a car wash coin machine in St. John the Baptist Parish.
Sheriff Mike Tregre said detectives received a tip through Crimestoppers that aided in the identifying of Harry Kennedy, 45, of New Orleans as the suspect.
Detectives have obtained a judicial court ordered arrest warrant for Kennedy for criminal damage to a coin operated device and felony theft.
The suspect is currently being sought by law enforcement.
Sheriff’s Office investigators recently asked for the public’s help identifying a man who looked directly into a surveillance camera, of which footage was made public by authorities.
Tregre said the man in the video is shown just before pulling up to a coin machine in a dark-colored, late-model Ford Explorer. The suspect looks around before using what looks like a monkey wrench to pry open the machine.
Authorities said they were not releasing the location of the crime or details pertaining to the suspect’s possible link to other area break-ins.
Anyone who can help police locate the man in the video or has information regarding the burglary is encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Office TIPS line at 985-359-TIPS or Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111. Residents who call Crimestoppers do not have to testify and may qualify for a cash reward.
Tips can also be submitted at stjohnsheriff.org/submitatip.php.