Arrests made in truck theft, store robbery

Published 6:09 pm Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Brookhaven police have made four arrests in two unrelated crimesthat have taken place in the city limits in recent days, officialssaid.

In the most recent, three juveniles were charged with grand larcenyafter the Saturday night theft of a pickup truck and attachedcleaning trailer.

Brookhaven Police Chief Pap Henderson said the names of thejuveniles can’t be released, but two were 14-year-old males and onewas 13 years old.

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Henderson said the three teens allegedly stole the 2006 Chevroletpickup truck just after 9:30 p.m. Saturday, as well as astreet-cleaning trailer used by the owner of the truck to clean outparking lots. It was taken from the parking lot of the PigglyWiggly on Monticello Street, Henderson said.

“We recovered the sweeper that night,” he said. “It was dumped onCherokee Street.”

The 13-year-old was picked up around 6:30 a.m. Sunday after a shortchase in the stolen pickup truck, Henderson said. The boy ran thetruck into another vehicle, then attempted to escape on foot.

As he ran, he lost a shoe. Police were able to pick up the shoe andmatch it to the one he had on his foot when they found him walkingdown North Jackson Street Sunday morning.

“You don’t find many people walking down the street with one shoeon and the other one is in the police car,” Henderson said.

The other two juveniles were picked up later that day. The chiefsaid it is unclear what the youths wanted the truck for.

“But I have a tendency to wonder where the parents are when youhave 13- and 14-year-olds out in the streets all night long,” hesaid.

Henderson said police have also made an arrest in a robbery at theHandi-Mart No. 3 on Brookway Boulevard that took place lastweek.

Joseph T. Martin, 31, of Bogue Chitto, is in the Lincoln CountyJail under charges of strong-armed robbery after he allegedlywalked into the Handi-Mart and took a handful of cash from theregister.

The suspect was picked up in Rankin County, the chief said.

“We found out what we needed to know during the investigation, andour officers picked him up yesterday,” Henderson saidTuesday.

The quality of the store’s security camera system was a big help inthe investigation, officials said.

“It’s a good idea to have cameras. We certainly appreciate it butwe can’t make businesses have them,” Henderson said. “This was anoutstanding video machine, and it worked real well. If you’re goingto put one in there, you need to put one that will help you.”