A Ruston, Louisiana, homeowner returned to find a rear patio door damaged and glass shattered, leading police to a burglary case that investigators say overlapped with an earlier break-in at a Louisiana Tech residence hall.
The residential burglary was reported June 14 at a home in the 2100 block of Merion Street in the Country Club Estates area, according to the Lincoln Parish Journal. The homeowner told officers he had left the residence around 5:30 p.m. June 13 and returned around 11:45 a.m. the next day to find the damage.
Ruston Police later arrested Steven Gerard Ferrand Jr., 44, for a second count of simple burglary. The report said he was already in custody at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center on Louisiana Tech University Police charges when Ruston Police made the additional arrest.
A rear patio door is a common break-in point because it can sit away from the street, behind a fence, or outside a neighbor’s direct view. In this case, police say camera footage, witnesses, and a license plate reader helped connect the two investigations.
The First Case Started At A Residence Hall
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Louisiana Tech University Police first arrested Ferrand after a reported break-in at Adams Hall.
An officer responded around 7:45 a.m. after a fire alarm was activated and found a broken window pane near the northwest entry door, with glass on the floor.
An affidavit cited by the Lincoln Parish Journal said surveillance video showed a man approaching the door with a large brick. Investigators used a license plate reader system to identify an older Pontiac sedan seen leaving the area.
The Homeowner Found Broken Glass At The Patio Door
Later that day, Ruston Police investigated the Merion Street burglary. A neighbor reported seeing a man later identified as Ferrand walking near the residence around 1:40 a.m., and another witness reported seeing a brown Pontiac parked nearby around 1:10 a.m.
Police also reviewed doorbell-camera footage that reportedly showed a man walking from a Pontiac and approaching the front door at about 11:45 p.m. June 13.
The affidavit said the man left and was later identified as Ferrand.
Doors, Cameras, And Neighbors Shaped The Case
Residence halls, apartments, townhomes, and single-family homes all depend on working doors, intact glass, cameras that actually capture entry points, and people who report unusual activity.
Virginia Tech Police advises residence hall students to close propped doors and avoid trusting card-swiped exterior doors as the only layer of security.
Texas Tech housing guidance tells residents to lock doors, screens, and windows, report suspicious activity, and avoid letting strangers into residence halls.