WGNO

State Troopers recover stolen semi containing $154K worth of wire

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The Louisiana State Police reported the recovery of a 2019 Peterbilt tractor valued at $125,000 with a flatbed trailer ($50,000) containing $154K of aluminum wire at 8761 Old Gentilly Road in New Orleans.

According to the LSP report, the semi was originally stolen from St. Helena Parish, while the trailer and nine 7,000-pound rolls of wire were taken from Tangipahoa Parish.

The state police’s Insurance Fraud/Auto Theft Unit along with the Criminal Investigations Division Detectives in the New Orleans Field Office assisted the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office with the investigation.

State Troopers recover stolen semi containing $154K worth of wire

Detectives reportedly found 53-year-old Terry Woodside actively dismantling the stolen truck and trailer. The nine rolls of aluminum wire had been offloaded from the trailer and were located nearby.

Detectives also located several other partially dismantled stolen vehicles on the property. The New Orleans Police Department Auto Theft Unit Responded and assisted in the recovery of those vehicles. 

As a result of the investigation, Woodside was arrested for Possession of Stolen Things in excess of $324,000 and Removal or Alteration of Vehicle Identifying Numbers and booked into the Orleans Parish Jail.