St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office now has bike registration online

Just in time for those new Christmas bicycles, the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office now has free bike registration online to identify and re-claim a recovered one that had been misplaced or stolen, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

“This program makes it easy for someone to register new or old bicycles online with the Sheriff’s Office without having to physically bring them anywhere and it is free to residents of St. Bernard Parish,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said.

“I wanted to start this,’’ the sheriff said, “because I wanted to help people, especially kids, who have lost or had their bicycle stolen, to be able to easily reclaim it if found by a sheriff’s deputy or turned in by a resident who finds it. I encourage bicycle owners to take advantage of the online program.’’

To start the process of registering your bike click here.

Please enter bicycle information accurately and upload your original receipt and a photo of your bicycle. All information will be stored on file with the Sheriff’s Office for future reference and identification in the event the bicycle is lost or stolen.

Please submit one form per bicycle. After completing the form, a copy of the registration and bicycle registration label will be mailed out for you to attach to your bicycle.

If the bicycle is being registered for a child who will be using it, you can submit the child’s name and Sheriff Pohlmann will send the registration label to them by name.

Upload a photo or scan of the bicycle receipt. If you do not have the original receipt the photo must provide one of the following for verification: owner of bicycle shown on the bike, registered vehicle and license plate in background or resident’s address in background shown in the picture.

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Sheriff warns of scam attempts such as two on Thursday where people were called and told that a family member was being held for ransom; Also, S.O. arrests armed robber just after incident

Sheriff James Pohlmann is warning St. Bernard Parish residents to be aware of scam attempts in light of two bizarre ones on Thursday in which different people were called and told a close family member was being held for ransom and they were instructed to wire money to an account.

“Both incidents turned out to be fake but they were unsettling to the would-be victims who received the calls,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said. One number from a caller was traced to a phone number out of the country and both likely came from the same people, the sheriff said.

“We want people to know this is the type of scam that is carried out.”

Sheriff Pohlmann said people should be particularly alert for scam attempts in general during the Christmas and New Year’s holiday season when criminals seem to attempt to more frauds, possibly believing victims are distracted by events that time of year.

Maj. Robert McNab, head of the sheriff’s detective division, said whenever “someone you don’t know calls and asks you to wire money for anything it’s most likely fraudulent,’’ with the money going to an overseas account.

In one incident early Thursday, a St. Bernard Parish woman was called on her cell phone and told by a man with an accent that a member of her family had been kidnapped, was being held at gunpoint and would be killede if she didn’t wire $1,000 to an account, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

The woman, told not to hang up, became hysterical and got a neighbor to driver her to a bank that wasn’t open and she was going to wait until it opened, withdraw the money and send it, the sheriff said.

The neighbor called the Sheriff’s Office and when detectives went to the scene they were able to calm her and eventually the call was disconnected. Authorities were able to phone the family member allegedly being held hostage and learned he was at work and fine, the sheriff said.

In the other incident that happened about noon, the sheriff said, a Violet man was called and told a family member had been in an accident and now was being held, and a demand was made that money be sent.

In that incident, the man who was called said he was calling the Sheriff Office and hung up. That man shortly received a text message saying it all had been a joke.

In an unrelated incident in St. Bernard Parish, a Violet man was booked Wednesday evening, Dec. , with armed robbery of a Violet business on East St. Bernard Highway that happened earlier that day, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

Roosevelt Walker, 29, 6535 Jules Brown Drive, was arrested at a residence after an investigation by sheriff’s detectives.

Walker admitted he carried out the robbery, wearing a hood over his head when he demanded money, the sheriff said. A surveillance video from the business showed a man using what appeared to be a stick or piece of wood as a weapon to threaten an employee into opening a cash register.

During an interview with detectives he acknowledged his guilt, saying he had bought narcotics with most of the money he received and said he needed help for his addiction, Sheriff Pohlmann said. He also turned over the remaining money that was stolen.

Walker is being held without bond in St. Bernard Parish Prison.

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It’s Christmas time in St. Bernard Parish

The 2012 Christmas season got off to a fun start on Saturday, Dec. 1 with a Christmas party at the Community Playground in Torres Park as Santa, Mrs. Claus and numerous Christmas characters greeted children who also got a chance to mail their letters to the North Pole, ride a special fire engine train and listen to music by a Chalmette High ensemble. The St. Bernard Chamber kicked off its annual Shop St. Bernard program at the event, sponsored by St. Bernard Parish Government & Tourism Office, St. Bernard Community Foundation, St. Bernard Chamber, Chalmette Refining LLC, the LA Crawfish Festival & Celebrate St. Bernard. Shown, Sheriff’s Office Capt Bret Bowen escorts Santa Claus as he exits the Gulf Coast Bank trolley that brought them to Torres Park for the party. Also, Santa and Mrs. Claus create a scene as they are greeted as they walk into the park. Also, a group of children sit on Santa’s lap, with parish tourism head Elizabeth “Gidget” McDougall at far right. And shown are youngsters riding the special train that took them around the park, with others lining up in the background to see Santa and Mrs. Claus. STEVE CANNIZARO PHOTOS.

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Sheriff’s Office seeks identity of man who tried to lure a juvenile girl into his vehicle in Chalmette; Anyone with information should call the SO at (504) 271-2501

Sheriff’s Office detectives are asking for help in identifying a man who tried to lure a juvenile teen-age girl into his vehicle on the edge of Torres Park in Chalmette on Sunday afternoon, Dec. 2, with the man fleeing in a white sports utility vehicle when the girl called to her mother, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

The man, described as a Hispanic male in his 40s or early 50s, had a scar on the left side of his nose and face, and was driving a smaller model white SUV, with no window tint and factory style wheels, the sheriff said.

Also, the victim said she believed the first two letters of the license plate were WP followed by what she believed were four numbers.

Anyone with information about the man should call the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office at (504) 271-2501.

The man drove up about 5 p.m. as the girl was near the duck lagoon in Torres Park at Jean Lafitte Parkway at Patricia Street, the sheriff said.

She said she didn’t know him but he called to her and asked her to come over and get in the vehicle. She said he spoke in a heavy Spanish accent and had a medium build, with brushed back black hair.

The teen-ager called to her mother, who was near-by, Sheriff Pohlmann said, and when the mother looked toward the daughter she saw a man driving away southbound on Jean Lafitte Parkway.

The woman and daughter got in their vehicle and tried to follow the man but couldn’t catch up, Sheriff Pohlmann said. They then called the Sheriff’s Office, which began an investigation.

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Sheriff Pohlmann supports Crimestoppers, which is holding a 5k and a one-mile foot race in City Park in N.O. at 8 a.m. on Sunday Dec. 9 as a fund-raiser

St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann is among law enforcement and business leaders in the New Orleans area supporting the non-profit group Crimestoppers in its effort to raise $50,000 through a 5K and one-mile race this Sunday, Dec. 9 in City Park in New Orleans.

“We are a big supporter of Crimestoppers,’’ which has received many tips that have helped solve crimes in St. Bernard Parish in recent years, Sheriff Pohlmann said. “We are in this with them for the long haul.’’

The sheriff also said, “Their group has helped our parish many times and we would appreciate anything businesses or individuals can do to help donate to Crimestoppers such as through this fund-raiser they are having Sunday. The money will go to its worthwhile programs.’’

Crimestoppers CEO and President Darlene Cusanza was guest speaker at the Nov. 14 graduation of the latest St. Bernard sheriff’s Citizens Police Academy class.

She has said funds raised from the races in City Park will go to make up for national and state funding cuts that threaten the group’s youth crime prevention programs and student leadership programs. The group has set a goal of trying to raise $50,000 and has received support from New Orleans area businesses and law enforcement groups.

Crimestoppers can be reached at (504) 837-8477 for more information about the fund-raising effort including participation in the race, donating to the group or to learn more about its programs. Under a new program, the public can make a pledge in memory of a crime victim.

Call Crimestoppers at 822-1111 to report tips on a felony crime and you may be eligible for a cash reward if the information leads to prosecution. The group, through its program of cash rewards for tips in criminal cases, has helped solve more than 12,000 crimes.

Sheriff Pohlmann said St. Bernard’s Sheriff’s Office will have a team of deputies participate in the races this Sunday.

“Crimestoppers could not do its job in protecting our citizens without the hard work of our dedicated law enforcement and first-responders,” Cusanza said.

“In order to show our community’s appreciation for their service, we will have an opportunity for citizens to pledge their support behind their favorite law enforcement or first responders’ race team.”

The Commercial Investment Division of the New Orleans Metropolitan Realtors’ Association as well as the group’s national parent organization has pledged $10,500 to sponsor the costs of the race, Cusanza said.

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