Sheriff Sam Craft of the Vernon Parish Sheriff's Office announces the November 10th, 2020 arrest of Joshua Keith Gattis, age 34, of Leesville.

On November 10, 2020 at approximately 7:05 a.m. the Vernon Parish Sheriff's Office received a report in relation to a suspicious vehicle in the area.

Deputy Randy Kennedy began a canvas of the area and discovered that the door of a church located in the area of Jeane Chapel Road and Haymon Loop was damaged and appeared to have been kicked in.

Detective David Vance responded to the call. Contact was made with the pastor of the church and it was determined that in excess of $20,000.00 worth of electronics and musical equipment had been stolen from the church.

Throughout the day the area was continually canvased in an effort to locate the suspicious vehicle from the earlier report.

The vehicle was ultimately located concealed behind a trailer in the mobile home park.

Detective Vance and Deputy Kennedy interviewed witnesses at the location and were able to identify the driver of the vehicle as Joshua Gattis.

Gaddis was located in a residence in the trailer park. Gaddis fled to a bedroom and attempted to conceal himself between the bed and wall with a bedding comforter.

Detective Vance ordered Gattis to present himself and at that time Gaddis claimed to have a firearm.

Detective Vance continued to instruct Gattis to show his hands and ultimately Gaddis did comply.

Gattis was taken into custody and all of the property stolen from the church was recovered.

Gattis was arrested and charged with one count of Criminal Damage to Property, one count of Theft over $5000, one count of Simple Burglary, and one count of Criminal Trespassing. Bond was set at $ 34,281.00 A detainer for the Louisiana Department of Probation and Parole has been placed on Gattis and he remains in the VPSO jail.

Sheriff Craft would like to encourage citizens to report any and all suspicious activity in their communities.

Sheriff Craft would like to commend Deputy Randy Kennedy and Detective David Vance for their diligence and hard work in this investigation.

This article originally appeared on Leesville Daily Leader: Leesville man arrested for burglary