[StBernard] 3 N.O. men caught burglarizing cars in Chalmette

[Westley Annis]

3 N.O. men caught burglarizing cars in Chalmette 

07:52 PM CDT on Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Michael Luke / WWL-TV.com 

Investigating a call of suspicious vehicle, three New Orleans men were
arrested for allegedly burglarizing approximately 8 vehicles in Chalmette,
said St. Bernard police spokesman Steve Cannizaro. 

Police received a tip from a resident that a driver was letting passengers
out of a truck who, after a brief time period, would returned to the
vehicle, said Cannizaro. Officers responded to the call, locating a white
Toyota truck driving westbound on Genie Street, near Palmisano Boulevard,
with passengers inside. 

Visible inside of the truck were multiple purses, a pill bottle - later
determined as hydrocodone - several GPS devices and CDs, police said, adding
that during the search of the truck a Glock 17 handgun was found. 

Police believe the suspects were targeting vehicles left unlocked and had
been driving up and down several streets looking for cars and trucks to
burglarize.    

Early Monday, police said, Vu Luu, 20, Danny Tran, 17, and Trung Tran, all
with eastern New Orleans addresses were booked with burglary, illegal
possession of hydrocodone and possessing a firearm while possessing a
controlled dangerous substance. 

All told, detectives believe eight vehicles were burglarized.  Cannizaro
said all three suspects are being held in the St. Bernard Parish Prison on a
bond of $75,000. 

"This is an example of the difference residents can make in helping law
enforcement do its job and helping their own neighborhood,'' St. Bernard
Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann said.