Louisiana Mounted Patrol Nabs Shoplifter Cowboy Style

(KMDL-FM) It could have been a scene from Louisiana's past. Not that most of us think of Louisiana in terms of cowboys, horses, lawmen, and bad guys, but we do have all of those things in the state. Over the weekend, they all came into play at the grand opening of a new Tractor Supply Store.

This past Saturday, the good folks of Ponchatula, and some of the not-so-good folks of Pontchatula that you'll read about in a minute, were taking in the spectacle that is the grand opening of their new Tractor Supply Store.

READ MORE: Three New Businesses Now Open in Lafayette

READ MORE: Louisiana Grocery Store Offers First-of-Its-Kind Drive-Thru Chicken

As you might imagine, a grand opening of such magnitude brought out civic leaders, the community movers and shakers, and naturally, some people with a disregard for right and wrong, too.

We know that because a few of the invited guests, who also happened to be working the event, were members of the Tangipahoa Sheriff's Mounted Patrol Division. Yeah, like many law enforcement agencies in the state, they have officers who do their job on horseback.

Why Do Police Departments Use Officers on Horseback?

Most agencies that have mounted patrols use the horses as part of crowd control. You've probably seen mounted officers in Lafayette around Mardi Gras parades and during big festivals. Another reason for the mounted patrols is community outreach. It gives officers an easy conduit to communicate and visit with the public using the horses as a conversation starter.

Get our free mobile app

However, in the case of Saturday's incident at Tractor Supply in Ponchatula, there wasn't a whole lot of visiting for the officers aboard Caddy and Yella, the two horses from TPSO's mounted division. The deputies on board noticed a shopper leaving the establishment with a buggy full of items that had not been paid for.

Louisiana Shoplifter Nabbed By Officers on Horseback

Needless to say, the large animals quickly stopped the would-be thief in her tracks. The deputies held the suspect until Ponchatula Police arrived to handle the official arrest. A spokesperson for the TSO said the incident proves the mounted patrols aren't just for show; they are a viable and effective crime-fighting force.

The individual detained in this arrest was found to have more than $1,200 in merchandise. She was charged with felony theft.