GONZALES - Deputies have arrested a man accused of stealing thousands of dollars worth of construction equipment over the course of several months.

According to the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office, 47-year-old John Abner was arrested and Tuesday. Abner is accused of taking more than $100,000 in equipment from a construction company's property.

The sheriff's office first began investigating back in May when a piece of equipment valued at $15,000 went missing. The investigation eventually led deputies to believe the equipment had been squirreled away at a storage facility by a former employee, later identified as Abner.

Inside the storage unit, deputies found a flatbed trailer loaded with an industrial fan, surveyor stand, extension ladder, power tools and the original piece of equipment stolen in May.

Abner was arrested and booked with felony theft over $25,000.

All of the stolen items were returned to the company.