[StBernard] 2 more arrested in theft of brass vases

[Westley Annis]

2 more arrested in theft of brass vases
6 others arrested at scrap-metal yards Thursday, April 17, 2008St. Bernard
bureau
Two more men have been arrested in connection with the theft of brass vases
from graves at a Chalmette cemetery, bringing the total to four, authorities
said Wednesday. 

Patrick Centorbi, 22, and Brian Boudreaux, 22, both of Chalmette, were
arrested Tuesday. Centorbi was booked with theft, possession of stolen
property and desecration of graves. Boudreaux was booked with possession of
stolen property. 

Shortly after those arrests were announced, State Police and the New Orleans
Police Department arrested six people at two New Orleans scrap-metal
businesses for not following the law in purchasing scrap metal. 

One of those businesses, Poland Scrap Metal Works, purchased the brass vases
from Centorbi, Boudreaux and two other men arrested last week in connection
with the vase thefts from St. Bernard Memorial Gardens, authorities said. 

The St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office and the Louisiana National Guard
assisted with the undercover investigations. 

The St. Bernard Sheriff's Office said there is no indication that Boudreaux
and Centorbi know each other and investigators believe the two men acted
separately in selling the vases. Investigators also do not believe they were
working with Val Terry, 41, and Joseph Scorsone, 42, also both of Chalmette,
who were arrested April 5 in connection with thefts from the same cemetery. 

"I guess word must have just traveled through the criminal underground that
this was an easy mark," said Maj. John Doran of the St. Bernard Sheriff's
Office. 

More than 200 of the brass vases were reported stolen from the cemetery
during at least two incidents this month. Authorities have recovered 148 of
the vases, which sell for about $600 retail but command much less on the
scrap market. 

Doran said Centorbi confessed to having stolen some of the vases. Boudreaux
has told investigators he lent his ID to someone -- he cannot recall who --
who must have used it to sell the stolen vases, Doran said. 

Arrested at Poland Scrap Metal Works were: Xian Wang, 39; Rui Gao; and Loan
Vu, 49. 

Investigators also arrested Don Simon, 24; Jose Chen, 21; and Yong Wu, 33,
at the TP Scrap Yard in the 13000 block of Chef Menteur Highway. All
suspects were booked with violating the regulation of second-hand goods
transfer or the improper acceptance of scrap metals, said officer Jonette
Williams, a New Orleans police spokeswoman.