Patrolman Nabs Suspected Burglar

Shreveport Police Officer Melvin Smith thought something looked fishy this afternoon when he saw a man near the intersection of Centenary Boulevard and College Street pushing a two-wheeled dolly.  On the dolly was a trash can covered by a white sheet.  Knowing that there had been burglaries in the area, Officer Smith stopped 35-year-old Tommy Neal for questioning.  Inside the sheet-covered trash can, he discovered musical equipment stolen from Noel Methodist Church in the 500 block of Herndon Street.  Neal was arrested on the spot.  Upon further investigation, detectives localted kitchen utensils, books, food, and ice chests that had also been stolen from the church.  Those items were located in a vacant house in the 1600 block of Highland Avenue.  Neal was booked into the Shreveport City Jail on charges of simple burglary of a religious building and illegal possession of stolen things.