ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / August 14, 1999

RESERVE – Riverside Academy coaches discovered their offices ransacked and over $8,000 of equipment missing from the athletic department when they reported for work Monday morning.

According to Lt. Michael Tregre of the St. John Sheriff’s Office, fourjuvenile burglars broke into Riverside Academy’s gym sometime early Saturday morning. The youths came in through the rear windows andproceeded to steal the school’s athletic equipment. One of the juvenilesstole a pair of tennis shoes that belonged to one of the coaches. Theyoungster even changed shoes, leaving his old tennis shoes in the coach’s office.

Detective Sgt. Andy Breaux was called to the scene and began aninvestigation. While looking over the crime scene, Breaux discoveredgraffiti written on the gym’s walls which read, D.P.G.Upon further investigation on the streets of Reserve, Breaux discovered that the graffiti was the signature of the Dog Pound Gangsters, a small gang in Reserve. Breaux found out who the members were and beganquestioning them.

Finally, four members of the gang, three 15-year-olds and one 14-year- old, confessed to the burglary. All the stolen property was discovered inthe boys’ homes and recovered.

Tregre said that one of the 15-year-old suspects is a former student of Riverside Academy.

The 14-year-old was arrested Sunday night for possession of a stolen bicycle. He went to court on Tuesday, but because the judge didn’t know hewas involved in the burglary he was released into the custody of his parents. When the judge was informed that the boy was wanted forburglary, she immediately sent him to the St. James Parish JuvenileDetention Center. The other three juveniles were released into the custodyof their parents.

If anyone has any further information on this burglary, they should contact Breaux at 652-2773.

Return To News Stories