Suspected burglar faces additional charges

Published 1:58 pm Friday, March 13, 2009

A suspect the Picayune Police Department has in custody for six burglaries is now charged with the theft of a $20,000 trailer from Reflectech.

Chief Jim Luke said 32 year old Bobby R. Perniciaro of 104 Verbena Dr., Nicholson, is now facing additional charges in addition to the six charges of burglary he was charged with earlier this month.

With assistance from the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department, Picayune Police Investigators discovered a flat bed trailer that had been reported stolen from Reflectech on Jan. 20, Luke said. The trailer was recovered from a wooded area in Lumberton, at 493 Redmond Rd. Not only did the investigators find the trailer, they also discovered a stolen 2008 John Deer bulldozer worth about $100,000 that was reported stolen from Pearl River, La., on Jan. 13. The dozer was found on adjacent property at 49 Ray Rd., Lumberton.

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A backhoe, and a car also were found in the area, both also reported stolen, Luke said. The backhoe was reported stolen from a job site at the 8 mile marker on Interstate 59 and the car was reported stolen from within Pearl River County.

Perniciaro is now charged with grand larceny of the flat bed trailer. Deputy Chief David Ervin said additional charges are being investigated to see if Perniciaro was involved in the theft of the other property, but by other agencies. Perniciaro’s bond for the Picayune charges was increased by another $10,000 putting his total bond at $136,000.

Agencies from areas in which the other items were stolen are investigating and charges are pending from those agencies, Ervin said. Hancock County also has a hold on Perniciaro for his suspected involvement in a recent burglary of a pharmacy in that jurisdiction.

Earlier this month Perniciaro was charged with six counts of burglary, three counts for three hits at Dub Herring, one count for the burglary of the Medical Center Pharmacy, one count for the burglary of Picayune Drugs and another count for the Carter’s Jewelry burglary.

Ervin said Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department assisted in the investigation and is working the case on the stolen car.

Capt. Bryan Dawsey said jewelry suspected to be from the Feb. 8, burglary of Carter’s Jewelry on Memorial Boulevard was found at the Ray Road location.

Picayune also is looking into other incidents in which Perniciaro is suspected to be involved, but Ervin would not say if other charges are expected.

“To say that we’re ready to make an arrest on any more charges would be premature,” he said.

Ervin commended the hard work of the investigators in the case who put in many hours to find the stolen property.

“This is not something that just happened overnight,” Ervin said.

Ervin thanked the Sheriff’s Department for its assistance in the property recovery and investigation.