Arrest ot four men in an apartment burglary made only minutes after a call to S.O.; Man arrested separately in two other home burglaries and attempts

Chad Melerine, booked in one home burglary and an attempted burglary

Leroy Tait, booked with burglary in Chalmette

A group of four men were booked with a Chalmette apartment burglary only minutes after the Sheriff’s Office was called by a witness, Sheriff James Pohlmann said, and separately a man was booked in two other home burglaries and attempts.

The four, all from New Orleans, had stolen a large television from an apartment on Golden Drive on June 18 but a witness saw them leaving and immediately called the Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

When deputies arrived, the witness pointed out their vehicles heading away from the scene, in a truck and a car, and they were taken into custody shortly afterward.

Three of the men said a man named Leroy Tait, 38, 1619 Clio St., who was among the four arrested, had offered them money to help him move items from what he said was his residence.

The three said they saw Tait force his way into the apartment on Golden Drive and steal a television.

Tait denied any involvement.

All four, Tait, Jerry Connor, 34, 1232 S. Saratoga St.; Charles Jackson, 67, 2105 Talia St.; and James Young, 56, 2550 Cable Dive, were all booked with simple burglary and placed in St. Bernard Parish Prison.

Tait is jailed in lieu of $33,000 bond. Bond information wasn’t available for the other three.

In an unrelated arrest, Chad Melerine, 35, 2516 Marietta Drive, Chalmette, was booked June 13 with simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling and attempted simple burglary of a second residence, with the two incidents happening the same night.

Melerine, who has prior arrests including burglary, is being held in St. Bernard Parish Prison in lieu of $60,000 bond set in his case.