By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – Authorities in St. John the Baptist Parish have made two arrests in connection with a rash of residential burglaries throughout the Reserve area over the past several weeks that have many residents motivated to organize a community-wide neighborhood watch.

Sheriff Wayne Jones said Tuesday most of the burglaries in question occurred during daylight hours when most residents were away at work. He said the suspects were using rocks and other objects to break through windows and doors to get inside. In some cases, residences were found unsecured with doors unlocked, said Jones.

Jones said the suspects were targeting some larger items, but in most cases they were looking for gold jewelry that could be sold for cash at pawn shops and other gold dealers.

Earlier this week, sheriff’s deputies arrested Reserve residents Eugene Schofield, 21, of East 24th Street and Kenneth King Jr., 20, of East 13th Street. King was initially booked with two counts of possession of stolen property, two counts of theft by fraud and simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling, while Schofield was arrested as a fugitive from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. Jones said Schofield was wanted in Jefferson Parish for similar theft charges in that parish.

As the investigation continued this week, investigators were able to link King to multiple incidents in the Reserve area where residents were burglarized. Capt. Dane Clement, spokesman for the Sheriff’s Office, said King has been identified as a suspect in nine residential burglaries between June 20 and Aug. 18. He said the residents identified were on East 16th Street, East 15th Street, East 10th Street, East Ninth Street, NW Third Street, Toni Drive, Central Avenue and Annex Drive in Reserve.

King was booked with eight additional counts of simple burglary and one count of attempted burglary.

Jones said the rash of burglaries have motivated residents to organize a neighborhood watch to combat the problem and help keep the community safe. He said a meeting will be held at the Reserve Bantam Ballpark at 4 p.m.

The public is invited to attend.

“It can be as simple as just looking out for minor things that don’t seem right,” Jones said. “It is a small community and everyone knows everyone. When things are out of sorts it is usually obvious.”

Jones said additional arrests are possible pending the outcome of the investigation. Anyone with information regarding these or any other burglaries is asked to call St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office Detectives at 504-359-8769 or Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.