Car burglar caught in the act in Arabi and held at gun point by a relative of the victim; Suspect booked in total of two car burglaries

An Arabi resident caught a man burglarizing his daughter-in-law’s vehicle at 5:30 a.m. and held him on the ground at gun point as the Sheriff’s Office was called, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Nicholas Russell, 19, of Arabi, was booked June 7 with simple burglary and illegal possession of prescription pills in the incident on Friscoville Avenue., the sheriff said.

Russell was booked with an additional count of car burglary on Thursday after further investigation and is a suspect in other car burglaries in Arabi, the sheriff said.

Sheriff Pohlmann said the resident who held Russell at gun point saw him in his daughter-in-law’s vehicle when he was loading his own vehicle for work about 5:30 a.m.

As Russell got out of the car, the resident retrieved his handgun, approached and ordered him to the ground.

Hearing the commotion, the man’s son came out and saw his father holding Russell and called the Sheriff’s Office.

When Russell was taken to jail, three prescription pills were found in a book bag he had, resulting in the drug charges.