"Theft" of choice

Hold on to the wheel: With 3 carjackings on 3 consecutive days this week, it would pay to be vigilant when you're going to your car.

• The most recent incident was Tuesday (12.23.08) when a Hispanic man was parking his car in the 1700 block of Burgundy Street (between Kerlerec and St. Anthony streets) in the Marigny Triangle at 2:20 p.m. when 2 black dudes accosted him, pulling a pistol and demanding his money and car keys. The victim got out of his car and the robbers fled up Burgundy to Esplanade Avenue, then toward the river.

The car was a white 1995 Ford Contour with Louisiana license SPJ 298. The thieves were described as 18 to 21 years old, 6' tall, with short haircuts and dark complexions, wearing all black clothing.

• The day before, Monday (12.22.08), and also in the Marigny Triangle, a 36-year-old white man was approached at almost the same time, 2:05 p.m., by a black man in front of 723 Touro St. (between Dauphine and Royal streets) as he was unlocking his car. The robber pulled a pistol and demanded the victim's wallet and car keys. The thief fled in the car up Touro to Royal, then toward Esplanade.

The car is a black 2000 Mercury Cougar with Louisiana license MHU 816. The robber was described as 18 to 19 years old, 5'4" tall, with a small frame and medium complexion, wearing a gray hoodie under a black jacket and baggy blue jeans and tennis shoes.

• On Sunday (12.21.08), a Hispanic man sitting in his vehicle on St. Louis Street near Bourbon Street in the French Quarter at 6:20 a.m. was robbed of his car by a black dude who pulled a pistol and demanded his keys.

No description was given of the stolen vehicle, but the thief was described as 18 to 19 years old, 5'6" tall, weighing 180 pounds, with a short haircut and dark complexion, wearing a white jacket with multi-colored stripes, a white T-shirt and dark pants.

Thefts on the court: Chris Paul is not the only one making thefts on the basketball court. 3 black thugs held up an Asian couple (he 19 years old, she 15) who were shooting hoops at Cabrini Park (Dauphine and Barracks streets) on Monday at 10 p.m.

One of the hoodlums pulled a gun and shouted "Give me what you got!" The thieves fled with a cell phone and cash, hopping into a parked car in the 900 block of Barracks, which raced off toward N. Rampart Street and turned right.

Two of the robbers were both described as 19 to 23 years old, one 6'5" tall, weighing 170 pounds, wearing a gray jacket, gray pants and a gray beanie-style hat; the other was said to be 5"11" tall, wearing a black and red jacket and dark pants; the other suspect was not described.

Hotel robbed: A lone black gunman held up the white desk clerk at the Hotel St. Pierre, 911 Burgundy St., on Tuesday (12.23.08) at 8:20 p.m. The clerk turned over an unknown amount of money and the robber fled on foot down Burgundy toward Esplanade Avenue.

The thief was described as 18 to 23, 5'6" tall, weighing 140 to 150 pounds, wearing a black T-shirt, black pants and black tennis shoes.

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As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome at NOcrimeline@gmail.com

Thom Kahler