By Mary Swerczek Sparacello, Kenner bureau
Times-Picayune
Copyright 2006 The Times-Picayune Publishing Company
Kenner police have identified the man they believe held up a fast-food manager at gunpoint a month ago, authorities said Friday.
Detectives made the connection between George Preston, 17, 424 Webster St., and the Sept. 14 robbery of a McDonald’s manager after Preston was arrested in an Oct. 1 burglary at JDM Audio, Kenner police spokesman Capt. James Gallagher said.
Unfortunately, detectives did not suspect Preston was involved in the robbery outside McDonald’s until after he was released from jail in the audio store burglary case, Gallagher said.
Gallagher said detectives became suspicious because after being arrested in the JDM Audio burglary, Preston gave police the alias Jermaine. That’s the same name he used in a Kenner McDonald’s before he robbed the manager outside the store. Detectives ran a photo lineup for the manager, who identified Preston.
But by the time police identified Preston as a suspect in the McDonald’s robbery, he had been released on bond for in connection with the Oct. 1 audio store burglary, Gallagher said. His bond was set at $21,250, according to Jefferson Parish clerk of court’s information online.
Police said that on Sept. 14 at 3:45 p.m. the manager of the McDonald’s in the 2100 block of Airline Drive was robbed outside the store.
The manager had just left the restaurant and gotten into his car when a man pulled a handgun on him, Gallagher said. The manager gave him an unspecified amount of money.
A warrant was issued Friday for Preston’s arrest on charges of armed robbery and armed robbery with the use of a firearm.
Gallagher said Preston alternates his time between Kenner, New Orleans and Houston.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Kenner Police Department at (504) 712-2222 or Crimestoppers at (504) 822-1111.
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Mary Swerczek Sparacello can be reached at or (504) 467-1726.