A sheriff’s drone helped deputies crash what the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office is calling a copper-theft attempt at a LaPlace warehouse on Monday, ending with one arrest and the seizure of several vehicles and trailers. Thermal cameras overhead picked up suspicious movement in nearby woods and guided deputies on the ground as they moved in. The suspect was ultimately found hiding in the brush and booked into the parish jail.
How the Drone Helped
According to a press release from the St. John Parish Sheriff's Office, detectives responded to Liberty Steel at 138 Highway 3217 in LaPlace at 11:56 a.m. and deployed a sheriff's office drone equipped with thermal cameras for aerial reconnaissance. At about 12:09 p.m., the drone detected a person in dark clothing near a wooded area, along with two unoccupied vehicles and someone riding an ATV. As deputies followed up on the ground, they found a third pickup and a trailer that had been camouflaged with tree branches.
Arrest and Charges
Authorities arrested 33-year-old Vance Bordelon of New Orleans after locating him in the wooded area. He was booked on felony possession of tools for a crime and simple burglary and is being held in the St. John Parish jail on a $25,000 bond, authorities said. Deputies say they recovered three vehicles and two trailers they believe were being used in the burglary. Investigators did not immediately say whether additional suspects have been identified.
Investigation and Tips
The sheriff's office said "the Sheriff's Office is continuing the investigation and additional arrests are expected," in a Facebook post. The department is asking anyone with information to call the SJSO TIPS line at 985-359-TIPS or Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111, or to submit tips online. Both the post and the agency's release include photos and a short timeline of the response.
Why Drones Are Becoming Common in Parish Policing
St. John Parish has financed drone cameras as part of recent equipment purchases, according to the Louisiana Legislative Auditor's financial report (LLA). Other Louisiana sheriff's offices are growing their drone fleets too, with Calcasieu Parish recently approving a $1.2 million, five-year contract for security drones to assist searches and incident response (KPLC). Officials say the technology lets deputies locate suspects and size up dangerous scenes faster than relying on ground searches alone.
The parish arrests report notes that postings are public records and should not be read as findings of guilt, and investigators continue to follow leads. Residents with information are asked to contact the SJSO tips line or Crimestoppers so detectives can follow up. This story will be updated as the sheriff's office releases new details.
