Man Arrested by Ascension Deputies for Car Theft Claims He’s ‘Not an Ahole’**
GONZALES — Alton Barber III was arrested early Tuesday morning near Pelican Point in Gonzales after allegedly stealing a car, the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office reported.
The victim, who chose to remain anonymous, told WBRZ he woke up around 3:30 a.m. Tuesday to find his wife’s new Audi missing from outside their home. He quickly called the sheriff’s office, which responded promptly.
Deputies tracked the stolen vehicle via GPS and found it near the front of the subdivision by a grocery store. When officers approached the car, Barber jumped out of a nearby dumpster. According to APSO, Barber reached for the car door handle before deputies read him his rights and arrested him.
Barber remained mostly silent but was identified due to the ankle monitor he was wearing at the time.
According to Nola.com, Barber was arrested last July in New Orleans on similar charges after allegedly holding a woman at gunpoint and demanding her Toyota Highlander keys. Before taking the vehicle, Barber reportedly said, “I’m not an a**hole,” allowing the woman to retrieve her groceries and house keys from the car.
Surveillance footage from Pelican Pointe shows a suspect believed to be Barber attempting to enter vehicles around 11:50 p.m. Monday, July 21, and walking up a driveway around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 22. Deputies confirmed the stolen Audi was tracked via GPS and remotely disabled.
The victim said Barber carried a backpack filled with stolen items, which was also captured on surveillance video. The vehicle was left unlocked with a spare key inside, and no damage was reported. Interestingly, the victim noted that Barber had put gas in the car.
Barber faces charges in Gonzales for theft of a motor vehicle, criminal trespassing, and simple burglary. He also has a prior arrest in New Orleans for armed robbery, identity theft, and fraud.
