By Rupert Howell
Batesville Police Department’s Special Ops Unit along with Panola County’s Drug Task Force arrested a truck driver April 10 after confiscating nine bags of “ice,” pipes, cash and other paraphernalia, according to BPD Chief Tony Jones.

Jones estimated the street value of the drug at $1,000. The 60-year-old man was released on $25,000 bond according to the chief.

Jones explained the drug was separated by amount desired by the buyer and tied together along with all paraphernalia in a cloth, with the cloths’ color corresponding with the amount of the illegal substance it contained.

The arrest was made on I-55 according to Jones. Charged with possession of a controlled substance is James Thomas, 60, of 9111, Hwy. 47, Brandon.

In other BPD weekend occurrences, a victim had a .40 caliber Smith and Wesson semi-automatic pistol and a pack of Marlboro cigarettes stolen from his Ford pickup in his driveway on Perkins Lane the late Thursday or early Friday.

The pistol’s value was estimated at $389.95 and the cigarettes, $5. The pickup was thought to have been left unlocked.

A vehicle was reported to have been broken into at Lowes parking lot around noon while the owner was inside. He reported a Samsung flip phone and check book missing from the vehicle.
Another Lowe’s customer reported a line trimmer stolen from the bed of his truck while he was inside for approximately 30 minutes getting parts. The red and black Troy Built was purchased three years earlier at a price of $230.

A report of Sunday April 12 indicated a vehicle was broken into at Wal-Mart and two bags of clothes taken. No value was placed on the clothes. A rear driver side  window was broken and glass was on the ground according to patrolman Alex Aiken’s report.

And then there was a Saturday, April 11 report of a snake coming from the ATM at a local bank.
“After some time passed, the snake was removed from the ATM,” Patrolman Aikens’ report stated.

Assistant Chief Don Province did report that the snake was not arrested although no mention was made whether the serpent received instant capital punishment as  many would have wished.