3 see more charges in thefts near casinos

Published 12:00 am Monday, November 10, 2008

From staff reports

Three Jackson men face weapons and auto theft charges today stemming from one in a series of auto thefts reported at Vicksburg casinos in the past week, Vicksburg police Lt. Bobby Stewart said.

Undra Harper, 27, 640 Cedar Hurst, and Demario Cotton, 26, 1542 Week St., will be charged with possession of a stolen firearm, possession by a convicted felon and auto theft. The latter charge stems from a Chrysler 300 reported missing from the parking lot of DiamondJacks Casino.

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Both men were charged Friday with receiving stolen property, a Ford Excursion reported stolen in Hattiesburg Oct. 22.

A third man, Luther Chad Payne, 20, 4126 Azalea Drive, also arrested Friday on the property charge, will be charged with possession of a stolen firearm, Stewart said.

All are held in Issaquena County Jail without bond pending an initial court appearance today.

Police are still investigating four other auto thefts reported last week at Rainbow Casino and Riverwalk Casino, Stewart said, with charges expected in each.

Three burglaries reported to city, county authorities

A pair of burglaries was reported to Vicksburg police and one was reported to the Warren County Sheriff’s Department over the weekend.

* Two air conditioning system condensers were reported missing from a closed gas station, Vicksburg police records show.

The theft of the equipment valued at $4,000 was reported at 4:50 p.m. Saturday by a caretaker of BP Pemberton, 4100 Pemberton Square Blvd., Sgt. Sandra Williams said.

* A Nintendo Wii video game system valued at $266.69 was reported missing from a home in the 200 block of Sioux Street, off Katherine Drive. Accessories listed on the report as missing include eight video games, four remote controllers and a wireless controller.    

In the county, an iron mailbox valued at $4,000 was reported missing at 2:07 p.m. Sunday from a home in the 5000 block of Gibson Road.