St. Landry Sheriff Bobby J. Guidroz stated, “On July 3, the suspect wanted in connection with the theft of farm equipment that was valued at $15,000 was arrested.”
On June 21 St. Landry Parish Crime Stoppers spotlighted the theft of a Case Vibra Chank Cultivator on the weekly “Crime of the Week” segment on KATC TV 3. On April 8, the owner reported that his cultivator was stolen from his property. The segment gave the description of the farm equipment as well as the description of the suspect and his vehicle. A home security camera was able to capture a side view of the suspect’s vehicle pulling the cultivator away.
On July 2, detectives received information that the cultivator was in a field inside Acadia Parish. St. Landry Parish detectives assisted by the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office arrived at the location and were able to recover the stolen property. Detectives identified the suspect as David Joseph Cormier of Church Point. Cormier was advised of his rights and stated that he had purchased the equipment from the owner for $ 1,500 cash but no paperwork was exchanged. Further investigation revealed that Cormier’s statement was false. When confronted with key evidence in the theft case, Cormier refused to answer questions and give any written statements. Cormier was then arrested and transported to the St. Landry Parish Jail for processing.
Sheriff Guidroz added, "If not for crime stoppers, tipsters, his office and the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office working together this arrest would not have been made so quickly. The goal of all involved is the capture of criminals that prey upon honest hardworking citizens that are fed up with being a victim of a crime."
