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PORT NECHES — A keen-eyed police officer noted a purple Ford Ranger with no rear tail lights that had been reported stolen earlier in his shift and was able to recover the vehicle and arrest an alleged thief.

The Port Neches Police Department officer was patrolling the area of Eugene and Dieu streets when he saw a vehicle traveling south on Eugene Street. The officer pulled the vehicle over and removed the driver, identified as Joshua Bergeron, 42, of Port Neches, and a 43-year-old passenger.

Bergeron was taken into custody for unauthorized use of a vehicle. He refused to speak with officers, according to a probable cause affidavit for his arrest.

Officers searched the vehicle and found a black backpack in the passenger’s area that reportedly had a glass smoking pipe with drug residue inside and a scale. The bag allegedly belonged to the passenger, who was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia.

Bond was set at $10,000 for Bergeron.

As of Thursday he was still in the Jefferson County Correctional Facility.

Bergeron was indicted by a Jefferson County grand jury this week on a charge of unauthorized use of a vehicle.