New Orleans police are asking the public to help identify two suspects caught on surveillance camera breaking into a business in the 300 block of Norman C. Francis Parkway early Friday, Oct. 16. A worker at the location later confirmed the targeted business was Bayou Beer Garden, the popular Mid-City bar.
According to WGNO, the New Orleans Police Department is “asking for assistance to identify a pair of suspects” in connection with the burglary, which happened around 4 a.m. Police released two security camera images showing the pair, one of whom was wearing a hoodie, though neither suspect had their face covered. The images give investigators a clear look at the two people they believe are responsible, even as key details about the case remain unanswered.
The Bayou Beer Garden worker told the station that the thieves broke into a liquor cabinet inside the business. The worker also said the suspects may have made off with perhaps two bags and one basket, though NOPD has not revealed what, if anything, was officially confirmed taken.
Tipsters Can Stay Anonymous, Earn a Reward
Anyone who can help identify or arrest the suspects is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 504-822-1111. Tipsters don't have to reveal their names or testify in court, and they may be eligible for a cash reward, per the same report. The Wheel of Justice, the recurring feature under which this case was publicized, has led to more than 500 people being booked since its launch.
A Rough Stretch for the Mid-City Bar
This isn't the first security headache for Bayou Beer Garden. The bar was the site of multiple reported vehicle break-ins on a Saturday night around 9:37 p.m., according to WDSU. In that earlier case, only one victim actually came forward to file a report, even though the initial complaint described several cars being hit, and officers said at the time they were still working to track down surveillance video and locate additional victims. It's unclear whether that incident is connected in any way to the October burglary; the two cases have been reported separately.
Bar owners across New Orleans have also been grappling with broader safety concerns in recent months. NOLA.com reported that some establishments have adopted age restrictions and other new rules in response to issues including armed customers entering their businesses and people loitering inside and outside, particularly around Saints game days.
Part of a Citywide Pattern of Break-Ins
The Bayou Beer Garden case joins a string of commercial burglaries NOPD has investigated around the city in recent months. In September, a man suspected of burglarizing a business in the 600 block of Loyola Avenue slipped away after building security confronted him, Hoodline previously reported. Earlier in the year, a tax business in the 4200 block of Canal Street was hit around 5 a.m., with roughly $1,500 stolen from its safe.
As with the Bayou Beer Garden case, investigators in those earlier incidents urged residents with information to come forward, underscoring how often these overnight business burglaries hinge on tips from the public rather than physical evidence alone. For now, the identities of the two people caught on camera at the Mid-City bar remain unknown, and no arrests in the case have been reported.
