Two males arrested in thefts of five vehicles

A young man and a 16-year-old juvenile male have been arrested in the thefts of three cars and two trucks in St. Bernard Parish, four of which have been recovered, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Trevor Encalade Jr., 18, 1920 Joseph Drive in eastern St. Bernard Parish, and a 16-year-old whose name wasn’t released because he is a minor, have been arrested.

Encalade is booked with four counts of auto theft and the juvenile was booked with three counts of auto theft. Between them they stole the five vehicles involved, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

Encalade was arrested on one count of theft on June 30 after a victim identified him as the person who stole his truck from his driveway on South River Park Drive in Violet. The victim followed him in another vehicle until the thief stalled out the vehicle in the 2500 block of East St. Bernard Highway in Meraux and its owner struggled with him but the young man escaped.
Encalade was arrested later that day and was being held in St. Bernard Parish Prison in lieu of bond set at $15,000.

On Friday, July 10, after sheriff’s Detectives Lt. Richard Mendel and Ryan Melerine developed further information on other thefts, Encalade and the juvenile were booked with three counts each of auto theft.

Encalade will be arraigned on the additional charges and a new bond will be set. The juvenile, taken to the St. Bernard Juvenile Detention Center, also is wanted in New Orleans on an arrest warrant alleging one count of simple robbery.

Four of the stolen vehicles have been recovered in a wooded area in eastern St. Bernard and one remains missing, Sheriff Pohlmann said.