NOPD seeks suspect in Laurel Street vehicle break-in

The New Orleans Police Department is seeking assistance in identifying and locating a suspect in the investigation of a vehicle burglary that occurred early Monday (March 30). At 5:27 a.m., the pictured suspect was observed entering the unlocked door of the victim’s vehicle in the 4200 block of Laurel Street and ransacking the interior. The victim reported nothing was stolen from the vehicle. Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact NOPD Sixth District detectives at 504-658-6060, or to call anonymously to Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans at 504-822-1111 or toll-free at 877-903-STOP.

NOPD commander says there’s little cops can do to stem car break-ins

By Nicholas Reimann, Uptown Messenger

When it comes to stopping the surge of vehicle break-ins plaguing New Orleans, there is little that police can do, NOPD Second District Commander Jeff Walls told a packed crowd at a community meeting Thursday at the NOLA VFW hall on Lyons Street. “Your frustration is our frustration,” he said. “The anger that I have about this — you have no idea,” Walls said. According to a report by The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate, crime statistics showed vehicle break-ins for 2019 were on pace to exceed 2018 numbers by 57%, with the number of vehicle break-ins increasing in New Orleans by 160% since 2015. The commander largely blamed the city’s problem on Juvenile Court judges, who he says put juvenile vehicle burglars — which make up a large portion of the offenders — back on the streets, in many cases within a day of their arrest.

Car break-ins and burglaries caught on video

The NOPD is seeking information to aid investigations into auto break-ins and burglaries that occurred Sunday, Dec. 1, in the Touro and Carrollton areas. Surveillance cameras caught an attempted burglary in the Touro area around 1:15 a.m. The pictured dark-colored SUV or van was observed in the 1200 block of Austerlitz Street. The occupants of the vehicle exited the car and were seen pulling the door handles of various cars on the street. One of the occupants attempted to break a car window; however, the car alarm activated, causing the vehicle and its occupants to flee the area.

Car break-ins reported in Fontainebleau neighborhood

NOPD officers are searching for two suspects who are wanted in connection with two auto burglaries in the Fontainebleau neighborhood. The victim told police that on Feb. 17 at about 9:30 a.m. she entered her vehicle in the 8000 block of Belfast Street and observed that the center console was open and her radio system was missing. The victim reviewed surveillance footage from this incident and observed an unknown black male pulling on her wife’s driver side door and then walk to her vehicle and enter it. The victim reported that she observed the man exit her vehicle and throw something across the street before fleeing the scene.