ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / May 27, 2000

GARYVILLE – St. John the Baptist sheriff’s deputies have arrested a 15-year-old Garyville youth in connection with a May 22 armed robbery in Garyville.

According to authorities, deputies were called to the Jean Batiste store on River Road in Garyville around 9 a.m. Monday in response to a robbery.When deputies arrived Batiste told them she had just been robbed by a man with a .357 revolver. She said the suspect came into her store, pointed thegun at her and demanded money.

The robber tried unsuccessfully to open the cash register. Instead, hegrabbed Batiste’s purse which contained cash, credit cards and a cellular phone. He also demanded that Batiste give him a pack of Kool cigarettesand two boxes of cigars. Telling everyone not to move, the suspect thenran out of the store.

Batiste told authorities the gun used in the robbery was the same one taken from her in a robbery a week earlier.

Working on that information, detectives canvassed the area and came up with a name.

They went to the suspect’s house and tried to arrest him. The 15-year-oldboy started to run when he saw deputies, but Detective Lt. Todd Hymelpursued the suspect and captured him.

After obtaining a search warrant for the suspect’s house, detectives found Batiste’s purse, the gun used in the robbery and the cigars.

Because the suspect is a minor, his name was not released.

Capt. Mike Tregre of the St. John Sheriff’s Office said the boy was given acontinued custody hearing on Wednesday.

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