Police and Fire Briefs for Aug. 29, 2012
September 04, 2012
Police seek man who robbed bingo hall
Police are looking for a man who stole tens of thousands of dollars from Bingo Plus on Drusilla Lane early Sunday, a police spokesman said.
The armed man walked into the bingo hall just after it opened at 9:30 a.m., pointed a gun at the only employee there and demanded money, Cpl. L’Jean McKneely said.
The man took tens of thousands of dollars before leaving the building, McKneely said. The employee contacted authorities shortly after the robber left.
The robber was described to police as being a 5-foot-8-inch-tall black man between 20 and 30 years old, weighing 220 to 230 pounds, McKneely said. The man was wearing a black ski mask, a navy blue jumpsuit and brown boots.
Anyone with information about this incident can contact police at (225) 389-3845 or Crime Stoppers at (225) 344-STOP or (225) 344-7867.
Jail escapee is
back behind bars
A tip from the public led Baton Rouge officers early Tuesday to a man who escaped police custody last week.
Jody Netter, 26, was arrested at 1:30 a.m. at 6170 Byron St., Cpl. L’Jean McKneely said.
When police arrived at the residence, Netter tried to run but was caught by a police dog, McKneely said. The escapee was treated for injuries and booked into Parish Prison on a count of simple escape, resisting an officer and aggravated burglary.
Netter, 7325 Caprice Ave., escaped police custody just before 4 a.m. Aug. 21 after being arrested for breaking into a home where he argued with his girlfriend, McKneely said.
While at the Police Department’s Fourth District on Scenic Highway waiting to be taken to Parish Prison, Netter slipped his hands out of the handcuffs and ran out of the building, McKneely said.
Building set on fire after burglary
Firefighters are investigating a Tuesday morning fire at a building on Muriel Avenue that was set by an arsonist after it was burglarized, a Fire Department spokesman said.
The fire occurred at The Attic, 11137 Muriel Ave., at 4:55 a.m. Tuesday, Curt Monte said.
Investigators discovered the building had been burglarized and believe a couch was set on fire to cover up the crime, Monte said.
The sprinkler system extinguished the fire but caused an estimated $5,000 in water damage to the building.
Anyone with information about the blaze can contact fire investigators at (225) 354-1419.
Man, 38, accused
of molesting girl, 15
A 38-year-old man was arrested Monday and accused of engaging in indecent behavior with a 15-year-old girl, an affidavit of probable cause says.
The indecent behavior occurred during the past four years and was brought to the attention of authorities after the victim told a teacher about what had happened, the affidavit says.
Baton Rouge police conducted an investigation, arrested Brandon G. Dinger, 14912 Forest Grove Drive, and booked him into Parish Prison on one count each of indecent behavior with a juvenile and molestation of a juvenile.
Fire at apartments under investigation
Firefighters are investigating the cause of an apartment fire Tuesday afternoon at the DeVille Apartments on North Street, the Fire Department said.
Firefighters arrived at unit 205 of the 1325 North St., complex at 1:25 p.m. and found flames in the kitchen, Fire Department spokesman Robert Combs said in a news release. The fire was under control at 1:32 p.m.
Firefighters kept the fire contained in the kitchen, which was heavily damaged, Combs said.
The rest of the unit had significant smoke damage and the four adjacent units were moderately damaged, Combs said.
No one was in the unit at the time of the fire, Combs said.
1 person arrested
on suspicion of DWI
Authorities arrested at least one person suspected of driving while intoxicated in East Baton Rouge Parish between 2:30 p.m. Monday and 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, booking records show.
Lal Thang, 42, 5750 Florida Blvd., was booked into Parish Prison on one count each of first-offense DWI, improper lane use and reckless operation of a vehicle.
Compiled from staff reports. To talk to a crime reporter at The Advocate, call (225) 388-0369.