EXPENSIVE HABIT MAY DRIVE CRIME

Law enforcement officials from the New Orleans area gathered Monday to
develop strategies to curb what they call an epidemic of armed robberies
fueled largely by heroin addicts trying to feed their expensive drug habits.

Acting New Orleans Superintendent Duane Johnson directed Lt. Tony
Cannatella to lead the meeting of investigators from the New Orleans and
Kenner Police Departments and the Jefferson Parish and St. Bernard Parish
Sheriff's Offices.

The officers met in a conference room at New Orleans police headquarters on
South Broad Street. The meeting was off limits to the press, and officers
declined to elaborate on what they discussed.

In his earlier remarks, Johnson said, "Heroin has become somewhat of an
epidemic in that so many of these kinds of crimes that we see here in the
city are related to heroin addiction. It's an expensive drug, and the
demands on the body that is caused by the addiction requires a junkie to
steal $400 or $500 a day to support that habit."

New Orleans police have recently arrested two men, both heroin users,
accused of a carjacking and five other robberies, two of which included a
shooting and an assault last month, police said Monday.

Johnson said there are other groups of armed robbers still operating. Also,
he said there are signs that some robbers working in New Orleans also are
committing crimes in other parishes.

Harold Brown, 19, and Tyrone Benjamin, 17, were booked with five counts of
armed robbery and one count of carjacking, police said.

Benjamin was arrested Nov. 11 about 3 a.m. by Sgt. Joel Porretto, who
followed a car matching the description of one used in robberies from St.
Louis Street and North Claiborne Avenue into the Florida public housing
complex.

Brown, believed to be driving the car, escaped that night but was arrested
Nov. 23 in the Iberville public housing complex, police said. Porretto
spotted him in a stolen car, and when Brown pointed a gun at him, Porretto
fired at him but missed, then arrested him, police said.

A .38-caliber revolver was recovered from the car, which had been stolen
the day before in the 700 block of Louisiana Avenue. Also found in the car
were purses and other stolen items, police said.

The two men were booked with these armed robberies:

- -- 1500 block of Leda Street on June 17 about 6:45 p.m.

- -- 7600 block of Willow Street on Nov. 14 about 11:45 p.m., involving a
carjacking.

- -- Baudin and South Dupre streets on Nov. 15 about 1:15 a.m. The victim was
shot in the neck but has recovered.

- -- 300 block of Polk Street on Nov. 21 about 7:45 p.m.

- -- 6000 block of Louisville Street on Nov. 22 about 7 p.m.

- -- 100 block of Chatham Drive on Nov. 22 about 10 p.m.

In the Louisville Street robbery, a woman was forced back into her home and
struck in the face with a pistol, police said.

Police also arrested a man for a string of robberies Uptown, three of which
occurred within five minutes of one another in Riverbend on Halloween night.

Therrion Duplessis, 21, 2422 Gen. Ogden St., was booked with two counts of
armed robbery and two counts of attempted armed robbery after his arrest
Nov. 27 in Pigeon Town by 2nd District Officer Joe Waguespack.

Walt Philbin can be reached at wphilbin@timespicayune.com or (504) 826-3302.