Man arrested in cigarette thefts

DENHAM SPRINGS — Deputies arrested a Denham Springs man accused of stealing $10,000 worth of cigarettes, a spokesman for the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday.
“It’s not your normal case of shoplifting,” Chief Deputy Jason Ard said. “It was a little strange.”
Ard said the operators of Murphy’s Express, at the corner of La. 16 and Arnold Road, had noticed for a while that the store was missing cigarettes.
Through a review of videotape “that provided a pretty clear picture,” they determined that a man was picking up cartons of cigarettes, entering the men’s room nearby when nobody was looking and shoving the cartons down his pants legs, Ard said.
Investigators later learned that someone was selling $50 cartons of cigarettes for $25 and put the facts together, Ard said.
Deputies arrested Clifton Simmons, 27, 903 Willow Brook in Denham Springs, on five counts of felony theft, according to a news release from the Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies recovered two suitcases filled with cigarettes in Simmons’ kitchen and more cigarettes in one of his closets, Ard said, adding that investigators recovered about 20 of the 200 cartons they believe Simmons stole. Simmons didn’t appear to have a preference on brands, but just took whatever was available, Ard said.
Simmons had other people working for him who helped to sell the smokes, Ard said.
Simmons, arrested Sunday, remained in the Livingston Parish Detention Center in lieu of $50,000 bond Tuesday afternoon, according to the Sheriff’s Office.