A 57-year-old man has been nicknamed the "Beef Bandit" after being arrested for stealing large quantities of meat from two stores. The Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office reported that dispatchers received a call Wednesday morning regarding a theft at a Walmart Neighborhood Market, which was followed by a second attempted theft shortly afterward. According to FOX 8 Live, the suspect, identified as Michael Ardoin, has a criminal history that includes 74 prior arrests.
Sheriff Jason Ard reported that witnesses saw Ardoin escape in a license plate-less black Honda, only to be intercepted by Denham Springs Police on Range Avenue near I-12. Inside the vehicle, various packs of hamburger meat and ribeyes laid in plain view, with more discovered stashed in the trunk. WWLTV revealed that the total value of the recovered meat was estimated at around $300.
Ardoin, with a criminal history that spans decades, faces felony theft charges due to his numerous prior convictions. His criminal record is bolstered by 26 theft arrests and nine convictions for theft per the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office. He was arrested and booked into the Livingston Parish Detention Center.
Both Walmart and Sam's Club, the locations from which the meat was stolen, will not be reselling the recovered goods. This decision was disclosed by the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, a standard practice for perishable items that have been compromised.
