UPDATED: Amelia man accused of stealing water for mobile home park he owns

An Amelia man was arrested Thursday and accused of bypassing a meter to steal water for the mobile home park he owns.

Spencer Augustus Aucoin II, 52, Amelia, was arrested at 12:44 p.m. Thursday on a warrant alleging felony theft, the St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office said.

Aucoin was transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. Aucoin was released on a $750 bond.

A news release from the Sheriff's Office did not specify the amount or the value of the water alleged to have been stolen. But a source familiar with the investigation said the theft goes back years, and the value of the water runs into the hundreds of thousands.

St. Mary Water and Sewer Commission No. 1 provides water to the Amelia and Siracusa areas. Brian Tabor, operations manager for the commission, said identifying the amount of water involved will be up to the justice system.

But "your information could very well be plausible," Tabor said.

On Oct. 31, detectives with the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office met with a complainant, who stated that he had received information about water being stolen from a main water line in Amelia, using a device that would bypass a water meter, the Sheriff's Office said.

This would allow access to water without reflecting the water usage on the utility bill. The area being affected was the Westside Trailer Park, which is owned and managed by Aucoin.

Detectives began an investigation and met with personnel of St. Mary Parish Water and Sewer Commission No. 1. Through the investigation, detectives obtained evidence and developed Aucoin as a suspect in the case, the Sheriff's Office said.

A warrant was obtained for Aucoin on the charge of felony theft.