New Orleans police are asking for the public’s help to track down two men detectives say are linked to a string of burglaries across the city.
Eighth District detectives on Thursday identified two suspects as Byron Anthony Clay (born April 12, 1993) and Lawrence Coleman (born May 8, 1993), releasing photos of both men and saying the pair are wanted in multiple burglary incidents. As of the time of the post, police had not announced any arrests.
Photos and details from the department
The New Orleans Police Department shared the suspects’ names, birth dates and photos in a Facebook message that asks anyone who recognizes them to contact detectives, according to the New Orleans Police Department. The post includes the images and a brief appeal for tips that could move the investigation forward.
How to pass tips
Eighth District detectives are leading the case and ask anyone with information or relevant security footage to call the district at 504-658-6080, according to NOPD News. Anonymous tips can be sent to Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans at 504-822-1111 or through the group’s website, as outlined by Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans. Police stress that anyone with possible evidence, such as camera footage or photos, should call the listed numbers rather than approach the men.
Why this matters
Property crimes like burglary remain among the most frequently reported offenses in New Orleans, and researchers have found that burglary rates can swing by season and neighborhood. A 2026 study in the Journal of Criminal Justice used city open data to map those patterns and showed how property crimes can cluster in particular areas. That kind of concentration helps explain why detectives routinely turn to residents for identification tips and surveillance footage when they are trying to connect the dots in a wider series of cases.
In their news release, police added a reminder that "all persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty" and urged anyone with reliable information to contact investigators rather than intervene themselves. The department’s Facebook post and formal announcement both feature the suspect photos that detectives hope will generate leads.
