Police chief continues message about street crime threat

Eunice Police Chief Randy Fontenot took his warning about an emerging street crime threat to the Eunice Kiwanis Club on Thursday. 
“My message to the people of Eunice is that if you have not been victimized by these people, if we don’t do something, you will be. It is getting bad,” he said. 
Fontenot brought the warning to the surface at a meeting of invited community leaders on April 11 at City Hall.
The problems involves groups of youths from 11 to 17 years old causing problems such as throwing items at passing vehicles to armed robberies and shootings. 
The incidents have been limited to an areas around East Maple, Benoit, Corn and Lewis streets, he said. 
At the April 11 meeting, Fontenot called on those present, mostly pastors, to help police. 
Guns being fired are frequent complaints from the neighborhoods.  
Fontenot said parents will be held responsible, and the police have a plan of action to deal with the situation. 
An earlier curfew is not a solution to the problem, he said. The youths who obey the curfew would be penalized, but the violators would continue to avoid the curfew limits. 
Eunice has a curfew of 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday for those under 17 years old and midnight on Friday and Saturday. 
On another issue, Fontenot said merchants can collect up to $500 from shoplifters in civil actions. The $500 can be billed to the shoplifter no matter the value of the merchandise taken.