Witnesses, victims hold vehicle burglar until sheriff’s deputy arrives

Several witnesses and victims helped subdue and hold a vehicle burglar in Chalmette until a sheriff’s deputy arrived, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Patrick Sikes, 23, 1809 Gnell Drive in eastern St. Bernard Parish, was booked early June 28 with one count of vehicle burglary, one count of attempted burglary and with illegal possession of pills.

Sikes was being held in St. Bernard Parish Prison in lieu of bond set at $10,000.

When a deputy got there, Sikes was surrounded by several people who said he had entered a vehicle and stolen items.

A witness saw Sikes pulling on a door handle but he didn’t get in, the sheriff said

The witness also saw Sikes soon enter a truck in a driveway of a house in the 300 block of East Genie Drive, the sheriff said. The witness said he rushed the suspect, pulled him out and brought him to the house of the truck owner and announced what happened, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

The Sheriff’s Office was called and Sikes was arrested after numerous items including change allegedly taken from the truck was found on him. A bottle with ten pills was also found on Sikes.