Lafayette escapee captured in Rayne

A Lafayette Parish inmate that walked away from a transitional housing unit was captured by Rayne Police Officers at a local dollar store late last week.
Shane Paul Thomas was being housed at the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Public Safety Complex on Willow Street in Lafayette last Wednesday evening (Sept. 14) when officials say he reportedly escaped by walking away from the housing unit around 11:50 p.m., less than a year before he was eligible for parole.
Officials said an alarm sounded when Thomas walked out a side door of the facility, but officers did not have enough time to get to him.
After an extensive search of the grounds, an arrest warrant was issued for his arrest.
Thomas reportedly had an extensive criminal history of drug and theft arrests dating back to 2007.
Thursday afternoon, POSH Pre-owned, a Lafayette car dealership, reported that a white 2015 Ford Mustang convertible had allegedly been stolen from the lot by Thomas. The Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Thomas was suspected of stealing the vehicle after photos of Thomas, posing with the car and the salesperson and wearing a dealership T-shirt, were posted on social media.
Within minutes the photo got hundreds of “shares” on social media, leading to sightings in Acadia Parish, where Thomas allegedly was seen in Crowley buying gas and ordering food at a fast-food restaurant.
A Rayne patrol officer spotted the convertible heading north on The Boulevard and followed the vehicle, which turned into the Dollar General store on Louisiana Highway 35 just north of Interstate 10 at about 3 p.m. The driver backed into a parking spot there.
The officer approached the vehicle and asked for identification, at which time the driver identified himself as Shane Thomas and asked why he was being stopped. The car was still running and in gear, according to the officer, and Thomas would not comply with orders to turn the car off.
When another Rayne officer arrived, Thomas allegedly revved the engine in an attempt to leave, but officers were able to reach inside the car and take it out of gear, apprehending Thomas at the scene.
Thomas was booked into the Rayne City Jail before being transported back to the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center on charges of simple escape, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and unauthorized use of a moveable.
The Mustang was released to its owner, according to Lafayette officials.