MERAUX, La. – Deputies in St. Bernard Parish arrested one man and two 15-year-olds in connection with a series of 20 car burglaries that occurred Wednesday morning in the Meraux area.
Sheriff’s Office spokesman Steve Cannizaro said the office began receiving reports of car burglaries around 3 a.m. He said patrol deputies, alerted by a resident who had been the victim of an attempted theft, tracked down and arrested the three teens around 6:45 a.m.
Darnell Benjamin, 18, and the two 15-year-olds were taken into custody. One of those arrested had a home incarceration electronic device on one ankle.
Deputies said they recovered a stash of stolen property including two rifles and scopes, a cross bow, $430, jewelry and other items.
Benjamin was booked with burglary, possession of stolen property, attempted theft, contributing to the delinquency of the other two and with misrepresenting himself by giving a false name in Parish Prison when initially booked, Pohlmann said.
Sheriff’s detectives, following up on the arrests, were investigating ties to a recent rash of more than 15 thefts of 4-wheelers in St. Bernard, which authorities believe involve young people from eastern New Orleans, where intelligence suggests the vehicles were transported, Pohlmann said.
