Two men are jailed and face multiple vehicle burglary charges following a joint investigation with detectives from the Bossier Sheriff’s Office, Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Shreveport Police Department.
Cody Blake Willis, 21, of Bossier City, and Melvin Richard Lewis, 24, of Shreveport, have been charged with more than 30 counts of vehicle burglaries thus far for crimes committed in various locations in Bossier Parish and Caddo Parish.
Bossier and Caddo patrol deputies were already on the lookout in early October because of vehicle burglaries in both parishes. With support by BSO dispatchers and IT personnel, Bossier patrol deputies were able to locate a vehicle occupied by Willis and Lewis in the Haughton area around 5 a.m. on Oct. 8 that led to a high-speed pursuit…and soon, the capture of these thieves.
When deputies tried to stop Willis and Lewis, they sped down Highway 80 with speeds in excess of 110 miles per hour. Louisiana State Police also aided in the pursuit. The two were eventually stopped near the 2100 block of Scott Street in Bossier City – Willis was driving, and Lewis was a passenger, and a gun was found in plain view between the driver and passenger seats.
The pair was detained and questioned at the Bossier Sheriff’s Office detective’s office, where they admitted to multiple vehicle burglaries in various subdivisions, in which they stole credit cards, cash, jewelry, car keys, guns and other items. The neighborhoods they burglarized were Forest Hills, Old River Place, Olde Oaks and Waters Edge.
As part of the same investigation, the Bossier Police/Sheriff Financial Crimes Task Force also discovered the two used stolen credit cards to make hundreds of dollars in purchases.
In Caddo Parish, officials with the Sheriff’s Office say the pair faces charges for vehicle break-ins that occurred on Oct. 3 in the 3700 block of Mallard Bay Circle. Willis and Lewis are accused of entering an unlocked truck to steal bank cards, a driver’s license, and social security card. A second unlocked vehicle was entered where a bank card, credit cards, driver’s license, social security card, and $500 cash were taken. The bank cards were used at various stores and casinos in Shreveport-Bossier causing a loss of more than $6,400.
Part of the victims’ property was recovered by the Caddo Sheriff’s Office at a hotel in the 5700 block of Financial Plaza. Other property was located in the suspects’ vehicle upon their arrest in Bossier.
BSO detectives charged Willis with 27 total charges and a bond of $382,000:
17 counts of Simple Burglary (Theft from a Motor Vehicle)
Two counts of Felony Access Device Fraud
Two counts of Felony Identify Theft
Three counts of Forgery
One count of Bank Fraud
One count of Aggravated Flight from an Officer
One count of Illegal Possession of Stolen Things
BSO detectives charged Lewis with 16 total charges; bond is $200,000:
12 counts of Simple Burglary (Theft from a Motor Vehicle)
One count of Felony Access Device Fraud
One count of Forgery
One count of Bank Fraud
One count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
Caddo Sheriff’s Det. Matt Purgeron obtained warrants, charging Lewis with five total charges:
Two counts of Simple Burglary (Theft from a Motor Vehicle)
Two counts of Felony Access Device Fraud for the pair for burglaries in Caddo Parish.
One count of Misdemeanor Access Device Fraud.
CPSO also obtained a warrant, charging Willis:
Two counts of Simple Burglary (Theft from a Motor Vehicle)
In all these cases, the vehicles that were burglarized were unlocked. Detectives encourage residents to make it a habit to check your vehicles each evening (or day) to ensure they are secure and valuables out of plain site.
BSO detectives says additional charges are pending, and further arrests of other suspects are also expected as the investigation continues. They also say other agencies are also investigating Willis and Lewis for similar crimes.
