Teresa Webster (Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff”s Office).
A Florida woman is now in custody due to her involvement in a crime spree spanning multiple states and targeting several large retailers along a southern federal highway, according to Louisiana law enforcement.
Teresa Webster, 56, originating from Boynton Beach—a mid-sized city within the Miami metropolitan area—was apprehended this week in Jennings, Louisiana, a small town approximately 35 miles east of Lake Charles.
She faces charges that include operating a vehicle while intoxicated, reckless driving, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving with a suspended license, and illegal possession of stolen goods, as detailed by the Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office.
The arrest occurred after local police witnessed a car accident on Interstate 10, authorities reported. A vehicle pulling a trailer had overturned, trapping its occupants, who only sustained minor injuries.
When investigators followed up, witnesses allegedly said Webster was the one who had caused the crash by driving erratically.
That crash occurred on July 29, the Jennings Police Department said in a press release issued late this week.
“Officers suspected Webster was under the influence of narcotics,” the press release states. “She was detained at the scene, and a toxicology screening was conducted. Results are pending.”
As the investigation advanced, police secured a search warrant for Webster’s vehicle. Inside, they purportedly discovered drug paraphernalia and items believed to have been pilfered.
“Further investigation linked Webster to a theft of tools from a Home Depot in Slidell, Louisiana, and the theft of a Louis Vuitton handbag valued at [around] $1,350 from a Dillard’s department store in Alabama,” the press release continues.
Police say surveillance footage from multiple retailers showed the defendant’s “involvement” in multiple retail thefts along the I-10 corridor “stretching from Florida to Texas.”
“She has an extensive criminal history across four states, including charges related to narcotics possession and trafficking, retail theft, fraud, and possession of stolen property,” the police department said.
The investigation is said to be ongoing, according to local law enforcement. Specifically, Jennings police are working with various other law enforcement agencies “across state lines to identify additional potential offenses,” according to the press release.
The defendant is currently detained in the Jefferson Davis Parish Jail on $12,500 bond.
