According to Acadia Parish Sheriff Wayne Melancon, his office received a call around 12:17 p.m. from the woman reporting a residential burglary in progress in the 1700 block of Higginbotham Hwy near Church Point with three black male suspects still on scene. According to the caller she was following the suspects she witnessed leaving her residence.
A short time later the suspects abandoned their vehicle on Cottage Lane and fled on foot to a wooded area.
Mire Elementary was placed on lockdown for safety reasons with parents being allowed to pick up students at the close of school. Students living north of Mire Elementary that relied on bus transportation were held back until a responsible adult returned home.
The three were capture in a field on Higginbotham Highway near Cottage Lane shortly after 4:00 p.m. They were arrested and transported to the Acadia Parish Jail.
Arrested and charged with aggravated burglary were LaQuincy Celestine, age 23, Buckskin Lane, Rayne, Brock Lamar Thomas, age 29, Brenda Drive, Lafayette and Garret Andrus, age 23, Carmen Street, St. Martinville.
The Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Louisiana State Police, Church Point Police Department, Rayne Police Department and many local farmers living in the community.
