Lumberton police lock in on out-of-town burglars
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Three men were arrested and another still unnamed suspect has evaded capture after Lumberton Police Department (LPD) officers interrupted a burglary in progress on Jan. 26.
According to Police Chief Danny Sullins, four suspects broke into the back of the Brookshire Brothers store on U.S. 96 with burglary tools and tried to steal cigarettes.
He noted the store's loss prevention team was watching the suspects on video surveillance equipment after they were alerted by an alarm at 2:12 a.m.
“They then accessed the cameras in the store and were on the phone with dispatch,” said Sullins. “They located three of the suspects attempting to break into the manager’s office where the cigarettes were locked up.”
Sullins added that, when officers arrived, the suspects exited the building. Two of the suspects ran north to a nearby trailer park where the getaway vehicle was parked and waiting.
“Officers blocked them in and we got two of the suspects,” added Sullins; later that morning, officers arrested a third suspect discovered walking on South Main (U.S. 96).
Sullins stated the three men arrested were Willie Ray Brown, 32, and Shumichael Danyell Casey, 36, both of Houston, and Thaddius Dewayne Anderson, 32, of Ringgold, Louisiana.
Brown and Anderson were charged with engaging in organized criminal activity (third-degree felony), burglary of a building (state jail felony) and possession of marijuana. Their bond was set at $32,000 each by Pct. 3 Justice of the Peace Rod Ousley.
Casey was charged with engaging in criminal activities and burglary of a building; Ousley set the suspect’s bond at $30,000.
According to the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office, all three men had been released on bail as of press time.
The name of the fourth suspect, also from the Houston area, has not been released.
“We got information that someone saw a person matching the suspect's description; and a white pickup truck pulled up, he got in it and left,” said Sullins.
Local media outlets first reported five suspects were involved in the burglary.