The New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) has taken two young men into custody, identifying them as suspects in a recent spree of vehicle hijackings and a robbery, the New Orleans Police Department announced.

Following a series of investigative efforts by First District detectives, 18-year-old Dillon McLendon, born March 23, 2006, and 19-year-old Vondell Johnson, born February 14, 2005, were arrested last Wednesday; alongside the arrests, authorities seized an assortment of weapons, mobile phones and clothing believed to be linked to the alleged crimes, the impact of such findings could weigh heavily in court. The duo is believed to be involved in both armed and unarmed carjackings and an armed robbery, incidents that stoked fear throughout their targeted neighborhoods.

The suspected string of crimes includes an armed carjacking on the 2500 block of St. Ann Street and an armed robbery on the 3000 block of O'Reilly Street in November, and additionally, an unarmed carjacking on the 2800 block of Lapage Street followed by another armed carjacking at the intersection of St. Phillip and N. Dupree Streets occurring earlier this month.

Members of the community with any additional details on these cases have been urged to reach out to the NOPD's First District detectives at (504) 658-6010 or to share tips anonymously with Crimestoppers at (504) 822-1111; the NOPD emphasizes the presumption of innocence for McLendon and Johnson until proven guilty.