Back in October KATC told you about a spike in shoplifting in Abbeville that police were attributing to the economic times. Now they say a weekend armed robbery is the latest in "crimes of desperation" to the hit the city.
Dwayne Broussard was arrested Tuesday morning for allegedly holding up Valero's Corner Store in Abbeville, making away with $60.
Broussard was pinpointed as a suspect with help from employees at the store. Although the suspect wore a ski mask and a bandanna when the robbery occurred, employees thought he looked familiar. Police went through several days worth of surveillance video with employees before coming to an image of Broussard, who could be seen getting into a similar vehicle that witnesses say the suspect was driving the morning of the robbery.
Initially police say Broussard denied having anything to do with the crime, but later had a change of heart when presented with evidence.

"At that point, he broke down and admitted to denying it and he confessed to the armed robbery," said Lt. R.J. Thibodeaux with the Abbeville Police Department.

Lt. says Broussard has a nearly perfect record and thinks tough financial times may have got the best of him.

"This guy lost his job, he's pretty hard up for cash for his family, he has a four year old boy I think a wife, she's not working, they're pretty hard up, and I think he made a bad choice," Thibodeaux says.

Broussard is being held in the Vermilion Parish Jail, the armed robbery charge could land him anywhere from 10 to 99 years behind bars.

Jim Hummel

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