A DeQuincy man was arrested last Wednesday after he allegedly shoplifted at a Ruston convenience store.
Leonard L. Watkins, 55, was arrested after officers responded to the E-Z Mart at 1500 S. Vienna Street about 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Video was viewed showing Watkins shoplifting two soft drinks by concealing them in his pants. A verbal altercation with store staff then ensued, with Watkins, yelling, profanities, and calling one employee a vulgar name. Watkins in the store without paying for the drinks.
When an officer spotted Watkins at the intersection of South Trenton Street and Union Avenue, Watkins allegedly threw down a glass pipe commonly used to smoke crack cocaine.
Other paraphernalia was found on Watkins after his arrest. He was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center with theft by shoplifting, disturbing the peace, possession of drug paraphernalia, and littering.
Bill was set at $1,000.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
