State Police arrested a Jefferson Parish man on a St. James Parish Sheriff’s Office warrant Thursday in connection with an alleged scheme to crush and sell flooded vehicles stolen from the New Orleans area.

Charles A. Jacob, 49, of Avondale was booked by the State Police Insurance Fraud Unit on seven counts of conspiracy to commit felony theft and seven counts of possession of stolen things, Sgt. Rickie Guhman of State Police said.

Jacob’s arrest is connected to the April 10 arrest of Carey Waits, 42, of Convent, who was booked with 33 counts of felony theft, Guhman said.

Waits admitted to stealing at least 47 vehicles flooded by Hurricane Katrina in the New Orleans area and selling them for scrap. Troopers believe Jacob, owner of Jake’s Auto Crushers, worked with Waits, Guhman said.

After Waits reportedly stole the flooded vehicles from New Orleans and stored them on his Convent property, Jacob would then take the vehicles and crush them to sell for scrap, Guhman said. Jacob reportedly did not oblige Waits to produce the necessary ownership documents as required by state law, Guhman said.

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