PORT ALLEN - A man is accused of stealing thousands of dollars worth of equipment from his former workplace and then stashing it away at his home in Livingston Parish.

About $31,000 worth of tools and other equipment were stolen after Aaron Ballard, 43, allegedly disabled the security system at Kent Environmental, the West Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office said in a news release Tuesday.

Upon discovering the burglary at the trucking company in Port Allen, West Baton Rouge deputies requested a search at Ballard's home in Denham Springs through the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office. There, deputies reportedly found much of the missing equipment. Deputies also noted that Ballard was trying to remove the markings from a stolen U-Haul trailer when they arrived. 

Ballard is being held in Livingston Parish and will be booked in West Baton Rouge for simple burglary.