The St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office started their search for a thief after a man claiming to try to help another man took the victim's wallet according to deputies.

On Tuesday, the victim was in a store parking lot walking to his car when a man came up and claimed the victim's car was leaking gas.

The suspect offered to press down the gas pedal of the car while the victim looked for looking gas.  Police say 52-year-old Errol Johnson of Bayou Vista then stole the man's wallet.

As police were investigating the case, they received information about a similar case and a suspect from the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office.

Yesterday, a St. Mary Parish Sheriff's deputy was called out to another store in Bayou Vista about a similar crime, and they learned later that Johnson had been arrested by the Morgan City Police Department after a case in their town.

Deputies say Johnson was identified as the subject who stole the wallet and upon being interviewed, admitted to sheriff’s office detectives that he committed the crime and attempted to burglarize a second vehicle.

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