Ed Roy, Ltd Private Investigative Agency

07/21/2023

The Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Public Safety Services, Office of Motor Vehicle (“OMV”) responded to a data security incident that involved personal information of individuals who were issued a Louisiana driver’s license, identification card and/ or vehicle registrations. This notice explains the incident, the measures that have been taken, and some steps you can take in response.

On May 31, 2023, Progress Software Corporation, which developed and supports the MOVEIt managed file transfer platform, notified all customers across the globe, including OMV, of a zero-day vulnerability that an unauthorized party leveraged to access and acquire data without authorization. Upon learning of the incident, immediate measures were taken to secure the MOVEIt environment utilized to transfer files. A thorough investigation was conducted, and it was determined that there was unauthorized acquisition of and access to OMV files in the MOVEIt environment.

Through a thorough analysis, OMV determined that files involved in the incident contained the personal information of individuals who applied for and/or were issued a Louisiana driver’s license, identification card and/or vehicle registration. The information varied by individual but included name and one or more of the following: address, date of birth, Social Security number, driver’s license, learner’s permit, or identification card number, height, eye color, vehicle registration information, and handicap placard information.

OMV is emailing notices to individuals whose information was involved in the incident and for whom OMV located an email address. In addition, OMV established a dedicated, toll-free call center to answer questions that individuals may have. If you believe your information was involved and have any questions about this incident, please call (866) 861-8717. The call center will be open twenty-four (24) hours per day and seven (7) days a week. Additionally, OMV is offering twelve (12) months of free credit monitoring and identify theft protection from LifeLock. OMV has retained LifeLock to provide impacted Louisiana residents one (1) year of complimentary LifeLock Standard™ identity theft protection. Impacted Louisiana residents should follow the instructions below to register for this service.

To activate your membership online and get protection at no cost to you, please see enrollment instructions available at https://nextsteps.la.gov.

OMV encourages all Louisianans whose information was involved in this incident to actively monitor for the possibility of fraud and identity theft by reviewing your financial statements and credit reports for any unauthorized activity. If you notice any unauthorized activity, contact the relevant financial institution or the credit bureau reporting the activity immediately. Please also review the “Additional Steps You Can Take” information below for tips on how to prevent fraud or identify theft generally.

To help prevent something like this from happening again, additional safeguards and technical security measures have been implemented to further protect and monitor the MOVEIt environment.

ADDITIONAL STEPS YOU CAN TAKE

It is always advisable to be vigilant for incidents of fraud or identity theft by reviewing your account statements, health insurance benefit statements, healthcare billing statements and free credit reports for any unauthorized activity. You may obtain a copy of your credit report, free of charge, once every 12 months from each of the three nationwide credit reporting companies. To order your annual free credit report, please visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call toll free at 1-877-322-8228. Contact information for the three nationwide credit reporting companies is as follows:

Equifax, PO Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374, www.equifax.com, 1-888-378-4329
Experian, PO Box 2002, Allen, TX 75013, www.experian.com, 1-888-397-3742
TransUnion, PO Box 1000, Chester, PA 19016, www.transunion.com, 1-800-916-8800
If you believe you are the victim of identity theft or have reason to believe your personal information has been misused, you should immediately contact the Federal Trade Commission and/or the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office. You can obtain information from these sources about steps an individual can take to avoid identity theft as well as information about fraud alerts and security freezes. You should also contact your local law enforcement authorities and file a police report. Obtain a copy of the police report in case you are asked to provide copies to creditors to correct your records. Contact information for the Federal Trade Commission is as follows:

Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Response Center, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20580, 1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338), www.identitytheft.gov
Fraud Alerts and Credit or Security Freezes:

Fraud Alerts: There are two types of general fraud alerts you can place on your credit report to put your creditors on notice that you may be a victim of fraud—an initial alert and an extended alert. You may ask that an initial fraud alert be placed on your credit report if you suspect you have been, or are about to be, a victim of identity theft. An initial fraud alert stays on your credit report for one year. You may have an extended alert placed on your credit report if you have already been a victim of identity theft with the appropriate documentary proof. An extended fraud alert stays on your credit report for seven years.

To place a fraud alert on your credit reports, contact one of the nationwide credit bureaus. A fraud alert is free. The credit bureau you contact must tell the other two, and all three will place an alert on their versions of your report.

For those in the military who want to protect their credit while deployed, an Active Duty Military Fraud Alert lasts for one year and can be renewed for the length of your deployment. The credit bureaus will also take you off their marketing lists for pre-screened credit card offers for two years, unless you ask them not to.

Credit or Security Freezes: You have the right to put a credit freeze, also known as a security freeze, on your credit file, free of charge, which makes it more difficult for identity thieves to open new accounts in your name. That’s because most creditors need to see your credit report before they approve a new account. If they can’t see your report, they may not extend the credit.

How do I place a freeze on my credit reports? There is no fee to place or lift a security freeze. Unlike a fraud alert, you must separately place a security freeze on your credit file at each credit reporting company. For information and instructions to place a security freeze, contact each of the credit reporting agencies at the addresses below:

Experian Security Freeze, PO Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013, www.experian.com
TransUnion Security Freeze, PO Box 160, Woodlyn, PA 19094, www.transunion.com
Equifax Security Freeze, PO Box 105788, Atlanta, GA 30348, www.equifax.com
You'll need to supply your name, address, date of birth, Social Security number and other personal information.

After receiving your freeze request, each credit bureau will provide you with a unique PIN (personal identification number) or password. Keep the PIN or password in a safe place. You will need it if you choose to lift the freeze.

How do I lift a freeze? A freeze remains in place until you ask the credit bureau to temporarily lift it or remove it altogether. If the request is made online or by phone, a credit bureau must lift a freeze within one hour. If the request is made by mail, then the bureau must lift the freeze no later than three business days after getting your request.

Get credit reports and credit scores for businesses and consumers from Equifax today! We also have identity protection tools with daily monitoring and alerts

08/16/2022

The burglary involves a vehicle pulling up next to your vehicle on the opposite side.

08/12/2022

05/30/2022

GPS tracking devices are becoming more popular and criminals are using them. For example, we're seeing Apple Airtags being used to track cars and steal them...

05/05/2022

We are currently running a fundraiser to help raise money and to ensure we have a successful season. The donations will be used for uniforms, travel costs, entry fees, and equipment. Unfortunately, our team struggles to raise the funds necessary to off-set the growing costs and we are looking to our...

04/18/2022

I HAD NEVER GIVEN ANY THOUGHT TO HOW SMART THIEVES WERE BEFORE!

1. LONG - TERM PARKING
Some people left their car in the long-term parking at San Jose while away, and someone broke into the car. Using the information on the car’s registration in the glove compartment, they drove the car to the people’s home in Pebble Beach and robbed it. So, I guess if we are going to leave the car in long-term parking, we should NOT leave the registration/insurance cards in it, nor your remote garage door opener. This gives us something to think about with all our new electronic technology.

2. GPS:
Someone had their car broken into while they were at a football game. Their car was parked on the green which was adjacent to the football stadium and specially allotted to football fans. Things stolen from the car included a garage door remote control, some money and a GPS which had been prominently mounted on the dashboard. When the victims got home, they found that their house had been ransacked and just about everything worth anything had been stolen. The thieves had used the GPS to guide them to the house. They then used the garage remote control to open the garage door and gain entry to the house. The thieves knew the owners were at the football game, they knew what time the game was scheduled to finish and so they knew how much time they had to clean out the house. It would appear that they had
brought a truck to empty the house of its contents. Something to
consider if you have a GPS - don't put your home address in it. Put a nearby address (like a store or gas station) so you can still find
your way home if you need to, but no one else would know where you live if your GPS were stolen.

3. CELL PHONES:
I never thought of this! This lady has now changed her habit of how she lists her names on her cell phone after her handbag was stolen. Her handbag, which contained her cell phone, credit card, wallet, etc., was stolen. Twenty minutes later when she called her hubby, from a pay phone telling him what had happened, hubby says, "I received your text asking about our Pin number and I’ve replied a little while ago." When they rushed down to the bank, the bank staff told them all the money was already withdrawn. The thief had actually used the stolen cell phone to text” hubby" in the contact list and got hold of the pin number. Within 20 minutes he had withdrawn all the money from their bank account.

4. PURSE IN THE GROCERY CART SCAM:
A lady went grocery-shopping at a local mall and left her purse sitting in the children's seat of the cart while she reached something off a shelf/ Wait till you read the WHOLE story! Her wallet was stolen, and she reported it to the store personnel. After returning home, she received a phone call from the Mall Security to say that they had her wallet and that although there was no money in it, it did still hold her personal papers. She immediately went to pick up her wallet, only to be told by Mall Security that they had not called her. By the time she returned home again, her house had been broken into and burglarized. The thieves knew that by calling and saying they were Mall Security; they could lure her out of her house long enough for them to burglarize it.

Moral lesson:
a. Do not disclose the relationship between you and the people in your contact list. Avoid using names like Home, Honey, Hubby, Sweetheart, Dad, Mom, etc.

b. And very importantly, when sensitive info is being asked through texts, CONFIRM by calling back.

c. Also, when you're being texted by friends or family to meet them
somewhere, be sure to call back to confirm that the message came from them. If you don't reach them, be very careful about going places to meet "family and friends" who text you.

10/11/2021

Since 1922, thirty troopers have died in the line of duty. The trooper killed this weekend would be the 31st.

10/09/2021

Legalized sports betting has started in Louisiana with the first wagering parlor opened at the Paragon Casino Resort.

10/09/2021

Joint Investigation Following Shootings in Multiple Parishes

SEARCHING FOR:
Matthew Mire, 31
*He is considered armed and dangerous.

Mire is believed to be tied to multiple incidents in several parishes.

On October 9, 2021, just after midnight, deputies with the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a mobile home park located in the 17,000 stretch of Hwy 444 in Livingston, LA.

Sheriff Jason Ard says, ‘Deputies located two victims - a male & a female - with gunshot wounds. The male was struck in the arm. The female suffered injuries to her arm & leg. They were both transported for treatment. They are both expected to recover. The pair tells detectives that they heard a noise outside of their home. They then witnessed someone barging in through their front door & firing shots. We do not believe this to be a random shooting. It’s believed Mire was familiar with the victims.’

Through our investigation, Matthew Mire has been named a person of interest in this case. It’s believed Mire stole a vehicle from Livingston to flee to a neighboring parish.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION:
Blue 2013 Chevrolet Silverado

Sheriff Ard says, ‘Working with our law enforcement partners, it appears Mire is also responsible for crimes in Ascension Parish.’

On October 9, at approximately 3:00 a.m., deputies responded to a shooting at a home on Dutton Road in Prairieville. When deputies entered the home, they found a male and female victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Both were transported to a hospital in Baton Rouge with life threatening injuries. Pamela Adair, 37, succumbed to her injuries while at the hospital. The male victim remains in critical condition.

Through further investigation, deputies learned the gunman involved in this incident is also connected to an early morning shooting incident in Livingston Parish. The Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office and the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office are both working closely together to help find the person of interest in these shootings. "We are doing everything in our power to bring this to a close and bring justice to the families involved," said Sheriff Bobby Webre.

After those two incidents, it’s believed Mire crosses paths with Louisiana State Police:

‘The preliminary investigation indicates that on Saturday, October 9th, 2021, shortly after 5:00 a.m., a Louisiana State Police Trooper attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a blue Chevrolet Silverado on LA Hwy 42 east of LA HWY 73 (Jefferson Hwy) in East Baton Rouge Parish. The driver refused to stop and shot at the Trooper. The Trooper returned fire and the pursuit continued on LA Hwy 73 to Hooshootoo Road, where gunfire was exchanged. The suspect fled the scene on Hooshootoo Road at the Tiger Bend Bridge. We believe the suspect is in the area and is considered armed and dangerous,’ - Louisiana State Police

At this hour, Troopers with Louisiana State Police and local law enforcement officials are currently searching for a suspect in the area of Hooshootoo Road at Tiger Bend Road following a LSP traffic stop and pursuit. The white male suspect is believed to have exchanged gunfire with the Trooper and is considered to be armed and dangerous. Citizens should avoid the area and report suspicious activity immediately to 911.

As the investigation develops, the circumstances of the incident and additional suspect information will be immediately released for public safety.

09/30/2021

The Breaux Bridge Police Department is currently hiring uniformed patrol officers.

Minimum Qualifications:
21 Years Old
High School Diploma or GED
Pass Psychological Exam
Pass Drug Screen
Pass Background Check
Pass Civil Service Test

To apply please come into the Breaux Bridge Police Department.

101 Berard Street
Breaux Bridge, LA 70517