Arrest made in string of LC business burglaries

A local man faces at least six counts of burglary and theft in connection with a string of burglaries at area businesses and car break-ins, Police Chief Don Dixon said during a news conference Tuesday.

Donovan Moore Jr., 21, 3409 West Roosevelt St., was arrested at 3 a.m. Oct. 7 in the 3600 block of Texas Street. Dixon said police caught Moore attempting to break into cars in the neighborhood.

Moore is accused of burglarizing the Buffi’s Peaux Boys location on Gerstner Memorial Boulevard several times. Dixon said Moore was a former employee at Buffi’s before leaving in April.

Some of the clothing and tools police found during the arrest matched the description from the burglaries at Buffi’s and Panda Super Buffet on La. 14, Dixon said. Officers searched Moore’s home Oct. 8 and recovered more evidence that “puts him at the crime scene” of the break-ins, he said.

Moore remains in the Calcasieu Correctional Center on a $50,000 bond. Dixon said additional charges against Moore are pending.

Paige Vidrine, Buffi’s owner, said the burglaries have been a huge emotional and financial burden for her and her employees. She said the business was burglarized twice in one week in April.

“I am happy that justice will be served,” Vidrine said.

Kaddie LeJeune, Buffi’s store manager, said the burglaries made the employees “second guess themselves” and nervous when closing the business at night.

“No business manager or owner should worry about the safety of their business or employees,” she said. “It’s not fair to us who work long hours to have someone walk in and just destroy our sense of security, our stability, our trust.”

Dixon said there is an easy way to stop these types of crimes from occurring.

“This young man should never see the light of day again until he is held accountable and paid back every penny to the victims or insurance companies,” he said. “Why we don’t do that, I have no idea.”

Anyone with information on related crimes should call Lake Charles Police at 491-1311.

””Arrested Moore

SportsPlus

Jim Gazzolo

Jim Gazzolo column: Parity no cause for concern

Local News

US taxpayer funds went to foreign competition for domestic shrimpers

McNeese Sports

Cowboys look to regain touch

life

Hobo Hotel for Cats charity auction set for Saturday

Local News

Firefighter training to be offered to high school junior, seniors

Local News

LCPD complaints delay vote to reappoint police chief

Local News

Karlee Campbell curates a classroom for students where they feel welcomed

McNeese Sports

Cowgirls suffer double loss

life

SW La. nightlife calendar: There’s always something to do

Local News

Trump announces commission on religious liberty, White House Faith Office

McNeese Sports

Traveling man

Local News

Jennings High Key Club using grant to increase access to books

Local News

Program aimed at helping city workers buy homes

Local News

Several area schools named after Black education pioneers, local legends

Crime

LC man accused of going on crime spree

McNeese Sports

Back to their roots

Jim Beam

Jim Beam column:Second Harvest news unsettling

Local News

Meet the candidates: Five throw hat in ring for mayor’s race

McNeese Sports

SLC games set for McNeese

McNeese Sports

Cowgirls look for four-peat

Local News

UPDATE: Drug charges against veterinarian cleared of rape dropped

Local News

Cassidy, Senate committee advances Robert F. Kennedy Jr. nomination to be health secretary

Business

Waffle House adds surcharge to eggs as massive bird flu outbreak leads to soaring prices

Local News

Federal judge blocks enforcement of La. police ‘buffer-zone’ law