In the early morning hours of Sunday, Sept. 7, at approximately 3am, Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office (APSO) Deputies were patrolling in the Bunkie area when a call came out for a business burglary in progress at a local warehouse. Deputies immediately responded to the scene with the original responding Bunkie Police Department officers to provide assistance.
Upon arrival, Bunkie PD officers determined the suspects had fled the warehouse on foot. As Bunkie PD officers established and secured a perimeter, APSO deputies deployed a drone to provide aerial support. The drone was instrumental in locating both suspects, who were confirmed to be hiding in a wooded area adjacent to the property. This allowed officers to safely take both individuals into custody without incident.
The two individuals arrested by Bunkie PD are Rondrick Gerome Hawkins, 51, of Forest Hill, and Craig Allen Bell, 48, of Bunkie. Both individuals were charged by the Bunkie Police Department with Criminal Trespassing and Simple Burglary and were booked into the Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office Detention Center #1.
Sheriff Dauzat stated, “This is a perfect example of interagency cooperation working toward one common goal: public safety. By utilizing tools and technology like our drone, we can assist our on-scene responding officers, increase their safety, and successfully apprehend individuals involved in serious crimes. We will continue to work with all of our law enforcement partners to hold those responsible who are terrorizing our parish and communities.”
The Bunkie Police Department is the lead investigating agency in this case.
For emergencies, always dial 911. For non-emergencies, contact the APSO office at 318-253-4000 or via email at info@AvoyellesSO.org.
All persons pictured are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.