RUSTON — A Shreveport man is in custody in Ruston, accused of posing as an exterminator in order to gain entry into apartments and college dorm rooms to commit thefts, authorities said.

Richard Taylor, 43, was booked into the Lincoln Parish Detention Center on Wednesday on one count of theft of more than $500 and four counts of unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling. His bond was set at $55,000, according to a press release today from Ruston Police Chief Steve Rogers.

The crimes were first reported Jan. 24 when Ruston police were notified that a man had been to three different apartments in Ruston and was posing as a “bug man,” or exterminator. The clipboard-carrying man told residents he was there to inspect the apartments for bugs.

Once inside, the man looked around and waited until the tenants were distracted and stole two laptop computers and a checkbook, Rogers states. Later that day, Louisiana Tech police received reports from four different students who had similar encounters in their door rooms on campus. Two laptops and a wallet were missing from students’ rooms.

Wednesday, a man matching the same description of the “bug man” showed up at the apartments on Penny Lane now posing as a “maintenance man,” stating that he was there to inspect the air vents.

The tenant became suspicious and called the property manager who told the tenant that he was not working for the apartment complex and was not authorized to do so. The property manager responded, spotted the man and began chasing him on foot.

The property manager chased the man around the Thomas Assembly Center and towards the Louisiana Tech football stadium. Ruston police officers surrounded the stadium and captured the man, who was identified as Taylor.

Soon after his capture, Tech police discovered Taylor also had entered one dorm on campus earlier in the morning, but the student became suspicious and started asking numerous questions. This apparently made Taylor nervous and he fled the area without taking any items, Rogers states.

Louisiana Tech University Police Chief Randal Hermes said he is pretty sure the university will file additional charges against Taylor as their investigation continues, the press release states.

“It is believed by law enforcement officers that all of these events in January and February were related and were committed by the same suspect. We are very glad that these citizens and students realized that something was amiss and took action to notify us. Our officers and investigators are working in conjunction with the La. Tech Police Department finalize this investigation and prepare it for successful prosecution,” Rogers states.