by Wesley Harris
Ruston Police issued an alert Wednesday asking for the public’s help to stopping the continued spree of vehicle burglaries.
“The Ruston Police Department is diligently working to catch the vehicle burglars responsible for the recent break-ins,” the alert said. “Meanwhile, we need the public’s help in keeping the city safe. If you have any firearms or any other valuables, please take them inside your residence and lock your vehicle.”
Local law enforcement agencies have issued similar pleas over the past six months as the burglaries of mostly unlocked vehicles continues.
The notice stated several firearms have been stolen in recent vehicle burglaries. Last week, a social media discussion focused on a firearm taken from a truck on Brewster Avenue as well as vehicle burglaries nearby on Fairfield Drive.
Ruston Police have repeatedly noted that the vehicle burglaries are random and no neighborhood has been immune.
The alert homed in on the theft of firearms from unattended vehicles and how they are later used in crimes.
“Stolen firearms are making their way into the hands of individuals who could not legally possess a firearm because they have violent criminal histories and/or they are juveniles,” the notice read. “Patrol officers have recovered stolen firearms from individuals convicted of drive-by shootings, robberies, aggravated assaults, murders, and so much more. Do not help criminals have access to free guns to terrorize our city.”
Police urge citizens who see or hear anything out of the ordinary, to please call Ruston Police at 318-255-4141. Those outside the city can report suspicious activity to the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office at 318-251-5111.
