A Hammond man was recently arrested in connection with a theft at Riverside Medical Center in Franklinton.

On Thursday, June 16, the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office issued a media release asking the public to help identify a male subject who burglarized an office at RMC. Surveillance video revealed a male who entered an unlocked office and stole a purse while the employee was briefly out of the office.

Chief Deputy Mike Haley said that tips from the public started coming in and enabled WPSO detectives to identify the burglar as Ricardo Clines, 26, a resident of Happywood Road in Hammond. During the investigation, detectives learned that Clines had been arrested before for the same offense in Hammond and that he was a traveling criminal targeting medical facilities in multiple areas. Upon entering the facility, he would reportedly identify himself as a radiology technician wanting to transfer to that facility.

Detectives obtained a warrant for Clines, who was arrested in Houma by the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office. He was returned to Washington Parish and booked into the Washington Parish Jail on one count of burglary of a business. His bond has been set at $25,000.

Sheriff Randy Seal thanks the public for their assistance in identifying Clines.

“This is one more example of the partnership between our office and the public,” he said. “Once the pictures were posted on media outlets, calls began to come in identifying the suspect.

“The help of concerned citizens, coupled with widespread coverage by both the mainstream and social media, nailed this thief and enabled us to get a warrant for his arrest. I appreciate the assistance of the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office for making the arrest. We now have one more thief in jail where all thieves belong.”