Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agents arrested two men for allegedly stealing property on Sept. 18 in Rapides Parish.
Agents arrested Ernie Jenkins, 53, of Woodworth, for illegal possession of stolen things. Agents also arrested Kurt Wiggins, 55, of Woodworth, for theft of property.
Agents received information on Sept. 16 from a U.S. Department of Agriculture feral hog trapper that his game camera, external battery pack and camera mount were stolen from a trap site on the Kisatchie National Forest near Woodworth. The camera was marked as being federally owned.
The camera was cellular and was still sending images to the trapper. Agents were able to use these images to identify the person who now possessed the camera.
Agents were able to get a search warrant on Sept. 19 and searched the home of Jenkins where they found the camera, the battery pack and the mount. Jenkins told the agents he bought the items from Wiggins. Agents then went to Wiggins’ residence to arrest him. Both men were brought to the Rapides Parish Detention Center.
Illegal possession of stolen things and theft of property each brings up to a $1,000 fine and six months in jail. Agents seized the camera equipment and returned them to the trapper.