Lake Charles, Louisiana – A 27-year-old Lake Charles, Louisiana man, Dewayne E. Davis, has been arrested and charged in connection with a series of vehicle burglaries targeting law enforcement agencies in the Lake Charles area. The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office (CPSO) Vehicle Crimes Investigative Unit (VCIU) detectives apprehended Davis on July 3, following an investigation that revealed he was responsible for numerous break-ins.
Since April, the CPSO has investigated over 20 vehicle burglaries where the suspect smashed windows to gain access to the vehicles. The suspect’s primary target was unmarked and marked police vehicles from local law enforcement agencies, with the intention of stealing law enforcement-related equipment and/or firearms.
During the investigation, detectives identified Davis as a possible suspect and made contact with him on July 3. According to reports from the Calcasoeu Parish Sheriff’s Office, Davis confirmed his involvement in some of the burglaries, leading to the execution of several search warrants. The searches yielded a cache of stolen goods, including burglary tools, seven firearms (three of which were reported stolen), over 1,000 rounds of ammunition, handcuffs, and body armor.
Davis was booked into the Calcasieu Correctional Center and faces multiple charges, including simple burglary of a vehicle, theft of a firearm, theft less than $1,000, simple criminal damage to property, illegal possession of stolen firearms, illegal possession of firearms by a convicted felon, and unlawful use or possession of body armor. Judge Michael Canaday set his bond at $715,000.
CPSO VCIU Detectives Chris Scharp and James Rathke led the investigation, which is ongoing and may result in additional arrests and charges. Sheriff Guillory praised the detectives’ tireless efforts, stating, “Our dedicated team of detectives have worked tirelessly on these cases, committing countless hours and resources to ensure this suspect was apprehended. Their efforts and operations have paid off, leading to Davis’ arrest and the recovery of some of the stolen items.”
An arrest is an indication that probable cause exists to believe the subject was involved in the offense alleged. All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.