N.O. man caught while committing fifth burglary of vehicles in eight days; confesses after arrest in Arabi

A New Orleans man with a lengthy criminal history was caught by St. Bernard sheriff’s deputies on Tuesday, Jan. 29, while committing his fifth burglary in eight days, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Reginald Orange, 44, 2623 Almonaster St., confessed to five burglaries after his arrest in mid-afternoon after breaking a lock on a trailer at an Arabi residence and stealing several items.

Orange stole more than $15,000 worth of property before he was caught but only a small amount of stolen goods was recovered.

When arrested, Orange had a red Jeep Cherokee that deputies had been on the lookout for since the vehicle was spotted leaving St. Bernard for New Orleans early on Jan. 21, the sheriff said. It also matched the description a victim gave of the vehicle he saw leaving his area after his vehicle was burglarized that morning. “This is the typical pattern with burglars and thieves,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said. “They commit a spree of crimes before they are caught. In this case we were able to catch him at the scene and he confessed to ones he was a suspect in.’’

Orange was arrested for vehicle theft in Arabi last year but the charge was later thrown out.

In this latest series of crimes, Orange not only committed five burglaries in eight days, when he was arrested it was his second of the day in Arabi, he admitted.

About 7 a.m. he had stolen a generator and other items from a trailer at a construction site, then was caught at a second location in the afternoon, Orange told sheriff’s detectives, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

The Sheriff’s Office received information that the red Jeep Cherokee was seen entering St. Bernard Parish on Tuesday and deputies spotted it in a driveway of an Arabi residence and he had several stolen items in his possession.

Orange was jailed in St. Bernard Parish Prison pending an appearance before a judge to have bond set.