Stolen bingo payout leaves Mississippi man behind bars

A Mississippi man was arrested Monday afternoon after stealing a moneybag at a charity bingo event, Houma Police spokesman Lt. Todd Duplantis said.

Timmy Patrick Prentice, 28, 1241 County Road-601, Baldwyn, Miss., was arrested and charged with felony theft, Duplantis said.

Around 8:44 p.m. Monday, Duplantis said the Mississippi man entered Mardi Gras Bingo Hall during a bingo session and began asking questions about how the game is played. A Houma-based women’s organization was sponsoring the bingo game, Duplantis said.

According to eyewitness accounts, Prentice suddenly ran up to the payout table, took a moneybag containing over $500 and ran out of the bingo hall. “This is the first time I’ve ever heard of anything like this,” Duplantis said. “Most thefts at bingos are internal problems. As far as a guy walking in off the street and pulling a snatch-and-grab, that’s rare.”

Women from the krewe and Houma Police working at the bingo hall chased Prentice, but he fled in a green 1996 Ford Taurus, Duplantis said. They spotted his vehicle turn on Goaux Avenue, and forwarded that information on to police, he said.

Officers found the car a short time later abandoned on Goaux Avenue, he said. “They staked out the area, keeping an eye on the car until the guy returned,” the spokesman explained.

At 10:50 p.m., Prentice made his way back to the vehicle on Gouax Avenue and police arrested him without incident, the spokesman said.

“He was there asking these ladies how to play bingo and kind of scoping the place out,” Duplantis said. “This is someone who probably came in with the intent to steal something.”

A member of the Mardi Gras krewe, who asked to remain unnamed, said in her 17 years of running bingo games she had never encountered a theft. “This is such a rare, rare incident,” she said. “We’re thankful that no one was hurt, and want to highly commend the Houma Police for quickly acting. They did an awesome job capturing this guy.”

Duplantis said Prentice was transported to Terrebonne Parish Jail where he is awaiting trial or bond.

Stolen bingo payout leaves Mississippi man behind bars