New Orleans police are asking for the public’s help finding a man accused of pulling a knife on store employees after they caught him trying to steal merchandise on North Broad Street. Investigators have identified the suspect as Derrick Dorsey, a Black male born August 26, 1968, in connection with what they are calling an aggravated burglary investigation.
According to the New Orleans Police Department, employees at a business in the 1800 block of North Broad Street reported on August 23 that a man was attempting to steal several items. When confronted, the suspect allegedly threatened multiple employees and then pulled a knife on them, according to the department’s account. NOPD has not released the name of the business where the confrontation happened.
Store employees told police that Dorsey was a habitual shoplifter at the location and that he became violent once they confronted him over the attempted theft, per the NOPD’s news release. That detail helps explain why what began as a shoplifting stop ended in a felony knife threat rather than a routine retail theft citation.
Why a Shoplifting Stop Became a Felony Case
Under Louisiana law, a theft attempt inside an occupied building can escalate well beyond simple shoplifting once a weapon enters the picture. Louisiana Revised Statute 14:60 defines aggravated burglary as unauthorized entry into a structure where a person is present while the intruder is armed with a dangerous weapon, according to Justia Law. That charge carries a statutory penalty of 1 to 30 years imprisonment at hard labor if a conviction results…