Church Point Police Chief: Toilet Papering and Egging ‘No Longer…Fun Pranks’ Warns of Arrests

Toilet papering and egging houses have been done by students to each other during Homecoming and other times of the school year for as long as we can all remember. But one local police chief has said he has enough of it!

Earlier today, Church Point Police Chief Dale Thibodeaux posting a warning with a bit of commentary on his department's Facebook page saying the pranks have "gotten criminal." He says his office has gotten numerous complaints as these "pranks" have been done to houses of people who don't even have kids in school and that these incidents are happening in a way that has nothing to do with homecoming.

Chief Thibodeaux says people caught doing this will be charged and arrested. To the parents of any kid who gets arrested for these "pranks:"  they will have to come get the person from the police department where their names and information will be given to the victims for civil liability payments for damages."

The chief continues with his warning:

We have the names and information on several who were stopped last night in two incidents and upon my return to town I will be conducting further investigation and pursuing charges on them. I have also authorized off duty officers who will be patrolling the streets for the rest of the week in plain vehicles...This is the only warning don’t come complaining after your child gets caught.

And for anyone complaining that these are kids just having fun, Chief Thibodeaux gives this message:

You go and clean the yards and vehicles of the eggs cheese paintballs and toilet paper at the houses.

You may remember last year when the Iberia Parish Sheriff's Office posted a similar warning to its Facebook page. In that warning, they reminded residents that toilet papering a house or yard can be a violation of the Louisiana Criminal Damage to Property statute (LA Revised Statute 14:56) and that their office would investigate those issues.

The responses to Church Point Chief Thibodeaux's warning so far have been very divided. Some people say kids could be doing worse than this:

And some people support Chief Thibodeaux and want other police departments to follow his lead:

How do you feel about Chief Thibodeaux's arrest warning? Is he taking the issue too seriously or should these kids be taught a lesson?