An elderly business owner in Ville Platte is frustrated with teens robbing his family business.

VILLE PLATTE, La. (KLFY) -- An elderly business owner in Ville Platte is frustrated with teens robbing his family business.

The family of business owner Eugene Fontenot, 84, tells News 10 they are frustrated and feel there is a lack of response from law enforcement after Fontenot experienced multiple robberies right in his business parking lot. 

Rachel Blanchet, the daughter of Fontenot and works at Euco Finance Company, said the robberies have made them feel unsafe.

“It’s very frustrating just knowing that you can't just walk out the door without being very cautious, looking around,” said Blanchet. 

She explained that her father helps out sometimes with the money along with the secretaries there. While leaving his office to head out to his car she said teenagers would be waiting outside and then steal the deposit he was carrying. 

“I think there were three times when they hid out near the office and since he's elderly, he moves kind of slowly," Blanchet explained. "So they'll distract him and then grab his money bag as he's going to make the deposit and then they have done the same thing at another finance company.”

She could not recall the amount of money lost the first time but said the second time it was about $800 and the third time it was about $350. Gladly, police recovered money in a vehicle that was about a block away from the second incident but the third time, no money was recovered. 

Blanchet said even though they have reported the incidents to the police, they are unsure what can be done about the teenagers and prevent another robbery. 

“Well it’s just the fact that these kids are juveniles and they cannot be held in jail for very long periods of time and they are basically just terrorizing the town,” Blanchet said. “They are pretty much idle on Mondays because there's no school and they run around the streets pretty much terrorizing the town. They smash and grab people's deposit bags and money bags, whatever they're carrying. Handbags at the dollar store, the convenience stores, our office, and another finance company as well.” 

The business said they are getting new cameras to put outside the business and hiring a security guard.

Ville Platte Police Chief Al Perry Thomas said he has a detective on the case and they are investigating. If you know anything about the robberies, contact the police department at (337) 363-1313. 

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