AMELIA — Four people have been arrested in connection with the theft of about $15,000 worth of welding leads from a business in Amelia, according to the St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office.

SMPSO said the investigation started on July 3, when the business's owner reported the welding leads had been stolen overnight. He also showed deputies a hole in a fence that may have been used to enter the property.

On July 24, deputies identified Shauntell Hartdegen, 43, of Pierre Part, and Paige Hartdegen, 27, of St. Martinville, as suspects.

Three days later, SMPSO said, detectives knocked on the door of a home in Amelia, where they met Isai Nunez-Ortega, 26, of Morgan City. According to deputies, she indicated that Shauntell Hartdegen had recently left the property. Detectives also observed a large quantity of wire casings from wires that had been recently cut and stripped of their metal contents.

The sheriff's office said that, as the investigation continued, detectives learned that Nunez-Ortega and Rosa Sanchez-Santos, 48, also of Morgan City, had been actively stripping the stolen wire at the residence.

On July 27, both were arrested and booked into the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center on simple burglary charges. Nunez-Ortega's bond was set at $10,000, and Sanchez-Santos was released on a $10,000 bond.

Four days later, SMPSO arrested the Hartdegens for their alleged involvement. 

Shauntell Hartdegen was charged with simple burglary and released on a $20,000 bond.

Paige Hartdegen was charged with simple burglary and criminal neglect of family after SMPSO says detectives found her children in deplorable living conditions. She was released on a $30,000 bond.

Detectives are asking any businesses or anyone with information about stolen welding leads to contact the St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office.