Opelousas Man Arrested On Theft Charges

An accused thief from Opelousas is now behind bars.

St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz says between July 26 and July 29, their office got multiple complaints from residents that numerous items had been stolen from their vehicles during the night. Deputies say they were told about a suspicious white vehicle in the Fort Hamilton area in Opelousas. They stopped the truck and say they found the stolen items on the driver, Jacque Gatewood.

Gatewood is being held on a $100,000 bond at the St. Landry Parish Jail and is charged with 11 counts simple burglary, 3 counts felony theft, 8 counts of theft, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He is also wanted by Lafayette Parish for 22 counts of simple burglary.

St. Landry Parish Spokesperson Lieutenant Megan Vizena says, “We cannot stress enough how important it is not to leave valuable items in your vehicle. Your vehicle should be locked at all times and try to keep it in a well-lit area if possible.”

“We encourage anyone that sees something suspicious to give us a call. That’s what the residents of Fort Hamilton did and they are the reason this crime has been solved.” Vizena added.

Sheriff Guidroz says, “Our Criminal Investigation Division sent detectives to process evidence and start returning items back to their owners.”