A Shreveport man is in jail accused of stealing $72,000 in merchandise from a local tire store, said Caddo Sheriff Steve Prator.

         LaDarrius Taylor purchased tires from Moore’s Goodyear 18 times over a two-week period from February to March. Each time, his credit card was declined by the store’s credit card machine. While at the store, Taylor faked telephone conversations with the credit card company and convinced the sales associate to manually override the sales transactions by entering an authorization number which Taylor knew to be false.

     Sheriff’s Detective Yomeka Evans said Taylor was arrested on Tuesday after he called the store to place another $6,500 tire order. When he attempted to pick up the merchandise, deputies and officers with the Caddo-Shreveport Financial Crimes Task Force were waiting to take him into custody. 

Evans said it is believed Taylor was selling the tires to other businesses and people at a discount.

In a separate case, Taylor also faces charges for depositing a woman’s 2012 tax return into his personal account after filing the return for her. The amount was $1,465.

Taylor, 22, of the 6700 block of Towering Oaks, was booked into the Caddo Correctional Center on two counts of felony theft.

Anyone who has purchased tires from Taylor or has information about this investigation is asked to contact Detective Evans at 675-2170.