The Mamou Police Department, shortly after the first of the year, began investigating a break-in at the Canal Station on 6th Street. The investigation then led authorities to a suspect believed to be responsible for a similar break-in at Paul’s Meat Market and Grocery in Ville Platte.
The investigation began in the early morning hours of January 7 when Mamou officers were dispatched to the Canal Station to meet with Phyllis Soileau.
According to the incident report, Soileau reported to the officers, “someone had broken the front door of the business.”
Officers noticed the front door was “shattered, the case that stored cartons of cigarettes which was secured with a padlock had been pried outward, and some Kool brand cigarettes were removed from the case.”
The incident report continued, “After further observation, officers noticed that multiple cartons had been removed from under the counter behind the register and packs of batteries were missing. Officers also observed a small branch from a pile of tree trimmings located next to the business was lying on the floor near the drive through counter. Officers observed that packages of Swisher Sweet cigarillos were scattered on the floor behind the register.”
Upon arrival of the owners of the business, the officers were able to view the surveillance camera footage which showed, according to the incident report, “two black male suspects approach the front of the business.”
The incident report continued, “The first male subject, who was wearing a grey hoodie and black pants, ran up to the front door and hit the glass with what appeared to be a red hammer. Then the second male subject ran behind him and entered the business. The second male suspect was wearing a Batman onesie and a pair of rubber rain boots with red bottoms. The second suspect ran behind the register and grabbed a carton of cigarettes and other items while the first suspect remained outside and appeared to be the lookout.”
Officers viewing the footage were then able to see the suspects as they fled the scene in separate directions toward the west side of Town Hall and toward Mulberry Street.
The footage also showed a black male suspect return to the store and, according to the incident report, “tried to get into the storage case located near the beer coolers. When the suspect couldn’t get the case open, he went outside next to the store, located a small tree branch, pried the lower part of the case door open, and took some cartons of cigarettes out.”
The owners of the business posted the video on social media to have the public help identify the suspects.
That afternoon, the Mamou Police received a phone call advising the suspect in the grey hoodie was Carl Bias. Officers then went to the residence of Bias and located “evidence that was found to be stolen from Mamou Canal.”
Bias, at that time, was arrested. Also arrested in the matter was Jeremy Thomas.
At that time, Mamou Police Chief Brent Zackery, Assistant Chief Christopher Fruge, and several other officers arrived at the residence.
Upon their arrival, according to the incident report, they “located on the kitchen countertop a crystal like substance which was believed to be methamphetamine and was weighed at 2.6 grams. Also, on the kitchen countertop was a leafy vegetable substance that was believed to be marijuana which was weighed at 12.2 grams.”
The officers also noticed “a travel size resealable SCOPE mouthwash bottle with a yellow tint liquid which was believed to be PCP.”
Along with the other substances were packs of cigarettes which were identified as the ones stolen from the Canal Station.
Bias, according to the incident report, “claimed full possession of the narcotics but claimed he didn’t steal. He stated, ‘I don’t use. I buy and sell drugs. I don’t steal. I’m a dope boy.’”
Both suspects were transported to the Mamou Police Department for booking. Thomas, during booking, stated, according to the incident report, “‘you ain’t nothing without that badge. Catch me on some backroad, and we will see how much of a man you are.’”
Thomas was charged with intimidating a police officer and principal to simple burglary. Bias was charged with simple burglary, possession of stolen property, possession of Schedule II narcotics, possession of Schedule I narcotics, and simple criminal damage to property.
Assistant Chief Fruge, on Monday, reported the same hammer, jacket, and boots were used in a break-in at Paul’s on the same night as the break-in at the Canal.
That suspect was identified as Kaninski Trandaz Larnett.
“After we found out what was going on at Canal,” Assistant Chief Fruge said, “I got in touch with a detective at the sheriff’s office and went over different things from both cases. With the description of the red hammer used to shatter the glass, the jacket with stripes on the side, and some boots with the tip being a different color from the rest of the boot, they were able to let me know they had found a subject selling cigarettes in the neighborhood of Fruge Street in Kennedy Subdivision.”
The sheriff’s office got a search warrant and, according to Chief Zackery, “found a red bucket, the boots, and the jacket.”
Authorities from both departments were able to compare the cases and were able to confirm Larnett was at the Canal Station at the time of the break-in.
A warrant of arrest was signed Monday, February 3, by the Honorable Chuck West on Larnett for the charges of simple burglary and criminal damage to property. He is ordered to be held without bond until further orders of the court. As of that time, Larnett was in custody in Ville Platte for his role in the break-in at Paul’s.
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Tony Marks
Editor