Four suspects were arrested on shoplifting charges after they allegedly committed thefts in several stores in Ruston’s Graham Shopping Center Saturday.
Ruston Police were dispatched to the shopping center on the North Service Road regarding a report of several shoplifters working as a team inside multiple stores. When officers arrived, two suspects were located in Hibbett Sports. One of the suspects, Corey Ardoin, 22, of Winnsboro, appeared nervous and ducked around a corner out of sight. Once the two were detained, an officer found 32 units of suspected alprazolam where Ardoin had been hiding. Ardoin admitted the pills were his and that he hid them when he saw the officer approaching.
Ardoin also admitted he and several other suspects had stolen from Harbor Freight and stashed the stolen tools in a car in the parking lot. Numerous packaged tools were located inside the vehicle. Most of the tools were confirmed to have been taken from Harbor Freight but several came from the Walmart on the North Service Road.
The female with Ardoin, Kyli Standifer, 19, of Winnsboro, said she had remained in the car where the stolen items had been placed.
Other officers responded to Office Depot where Mitchell Stokes, 41, of Rayville, and Jason Ardoin, 49, of Sulphur, were taken into custody.
A records check showed Stokes was wanted by Ruston Police on a felony warrant for a previous theft.
Jason Ardoin stated he had remained in the vehicle at Harbor Freight, but witnesses placed him with the other suspects inside the store. Police reported at least $700 worth of tools were recovered from the theft at Harbor Freight.
The four were booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center as follows: Jason Ardoin–two counts of theft by shoplifting less than $1,000, Mitchell Stokes–two counts of theft by shoplifting less than $1000 and the felony theft warrant, Corey Arguin–theft by shoplifting and possession of alprazolam, and Kyli Standifer–two counts of theft by shoplifting.