Criminal defense: Man arrested following Louisiana Walmart fires

Police and stores often rely on video surveillance footage to identify people who are suspected of committing a crime. However, anyone who has ever seen this footage likely knows that it is difficult to recognize those featured in it. Regardless, many arrests are made this way. One man in Louisiana is likely considering his criminal defense — including potentially questioning images taken from such footage that were released  — after he was arrested on arson and theft charges.

There were three different incidents that reportedly resulted in the man’s arrest. Police say that two of the incidents occurred on the same day. According to police, the man set fires in two different Walmarts before stealing laptops. Both of those stores had to be closed as a result.

A similar incident — to which police say the man admitted — happened on a different day. The man now faces multiple criminal charges, including aggravated arson, felony theft by shoplifting and felony criminal damage. He was arrested by the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office.

When people in Louisiana and across the country are questioned by police, they often speak and react without fully realizing the implications of what they are saying, often believing that their words are completely innocuous. Fortunately, a criminal defense attorney can begin advising someone suspected of a crime during initial questioning — before charges are even filed. By having such a person on their side, people believed to have committed a crime may be more likely to fully understand the ramifications of the information they provide to police.

Source: kfvs12.com, “Man arrested for string of arsons at three Walmart locations”, Mykal Vincent and Elizabeth Vowell, July 9, 2017