NEW ORLEANS – State authorities are investigating allegations that New Orleans police officers broke into a dealership and made off with nearly 200 cars – including 41 new Cadillacs – as Hurricane Katrina closed in.
“It is a very, very active investigation,” Kris Wartelle, spokeswoman for the Louisiana attorney general, said Friday. “We expect developments quickly.”
Wartelle would not comment on why the officers may have taken the cars or whether they were used in the line of duty.
However, the cars may have been taken before the hurricane roared into town Aug. 29, according to the president and general manager of the dealership, Doug Stead.
Stead said the cars included 88 new Cadillacs and Chevrolets, 40 used cars, 52 customers’ cars and a restored 1970 El Camino and 1966 Impala.
“We put the loss on new cars at $3.7 million,” Stead said. “The used cars ran another $900,000.”
When reports first surfaced in September that officers may have taken the cars, New Orleans Police Superintendent Warren Riley said it was not considered looting because the officers patrolled in the cars.
“There were some officers who did use Cadillacs,” Riley said. “Those cars were not stolen.”
On Friday, police spokesman Capt. Marlon Defillo said the department’s only comment was that it was cooperating with the attorney general’s investigation.
Police are also investigating 12 officers for allegedly looting or failing to stop looting. And about 250 police officers – about 15 percent of the force – could face discipline for leaving their posts without permission.
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