Man is using wheelchair as ruse for series of burglaries in Louisiana, police say

An unusual search is underway for a thief who pretends to need a wheelchair, according to the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office in Monroe, Louisiana.

The “person of interest” uses the chair to travel from crime scene to crime scene, officials said in a news release.

An out-of-focus photo of the man was shared on Facebook, with a plea for help with an identification.

While he was seen using the wheelchair near the burglary scene, the man can walk, the sheriff’s office said. “He was seen walking and running from different vehicles while committing the burglaries.”

Investigators want to question the man in connection with “several vehicle burglaries” that occurred Sunday, Nov. 21, along the same street in Monroe.

Details were not released on how many vehicles are involved and what was taken.

However, the pretense of disability has prompted hundreds of reactions, shares and comments on the department’s Facebook post. This includes people who noted some similarities to a con used by Eddie Murphy in the film “Trading Places.”

“They goin’ rogue out here! Wheelchair burglars, welcome to north La,” one commenter wrote on Facebook.

“Ahh yes the classic wheel chair diversion technique,” another person posted.

“Now really this is too crazy,” one woman said.

This story was originally published November 22, 2021 at 2:13 PM with the headline "Man is using wheelchair as ruse for series of burglaries in Louisiana, police say."