[StBernard] Thieves burglarize, torch Chalmette daiquiri shop

[Westley Annis]

Thieves burglarize, torch Chalmette daiquiri shop
by The Times-Picayune 
Monday May 05, 2008, 5:30 PM
Thieves broke into a Chalmette daiquiri shop and cleaned out the video poker
machines early Monday before setting fire to the building in an apparent
attempt to cover their tracks, authorities said. 

The two-alarm blaze gutted the Daiquiris of St. Bernard shop at 120
Packenham Ave., a block off West Judge Perez Drive. But authorities
retrieved a computer hard drive that may contain video surveillance of the
burglars. 

The thieves forced open the back door and broke into three video poker
machines, taking an undisclosed amount of money, said Maj. John Doran of the
St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office. 

The burglars then apparently set fire to an office containing video
surveillance equipment, Doran said. 

Firefighters arrived on the scene at 5:17 a.m. to find the back half of the
building engulfed in flames, said Chief Thomas Stone of the St. Bernard
Parish Fire Department. 

He said an arcing power line prevented firefighters from entering the
building. About two dozen firefighters had the fire under control by 5:50
p.m., Stone said. 

The building's interior was blackened and half of the roof collapsed, but
authorities recovered a hard drive that is being analyzed for possible
surveillance footage of the break-in, Doran said. 

The state Fire Marshall's Office and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives are helping with the investigation.