The arrest of a trio of sophisticated burglars who may be responsible for over 100 burglaries in St. Tammany, Jefferson and St. Charles parishes over a two-year period could have been a script for a heist film.

Monday, Slidell Police Chief Freddie Drennan, along with detectives from St. Charles and Jefferson parishes, announced they had arrested Nicolas P. Banta, 30, 3531 46th St., Metairie, Christopher J. Schwartz, 22, 306 W. Metairie Ave., Metairie, and John R. Wall, 33, 124 Hunter’s Crossing Road, Athens, Ga., for planning and carrying out well-planned burglaries of check cashing stores, convenience stores and a supermarket. Sgt. Troy Bradberry of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office said the trio “probably took millions of dollars.”

Drennan said the three were not looking for a quick buck, nor were they drug users looking for fast money.

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“These guys were professional and in the business for the money,” Drennan said. “They are the most sophisticated burglary ring I have ever seen.”

Bradberry said Banta was the mastermind behind the burglaries.

“Banta taught the other two how to rob these places,” Bradberry said.

The three law enforcement agencies pooled their information about the burglaries, which all had similar methods of operation. In Slidell, detectives believe the trio is responsible for the Aug. 30, 2007, burglary of the Ace Cash Express on Gause Boulevard and the Oct. 4, 2007, burglary of Quick Cash, also on Gause Boulevard. Bradbury said Banta and his gang were probably responsible for between 50 to 100 burglaries in Jefferson Parish.

Maj. Sam Zinna, chief of investigations for the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office, said the trio were suspects in at least six burglaries in his parish that include several convenience stores and a supermarket from May to July 2007.

In all the burglaries, authorities say Banta and his crew cut holes in the roof, crawled into the stores, and managed to disable the security alarms and open the safes. Police would not give details on how the burglars managed to turn off the burglar alarms and get into the safes.

Before the burglaries, the trio would conduct surveillance on their targets. Drennan said they would set off the alarms on purpose to see how long it took police and security companies to respond.

The gang also ran counter-surveillance on the police. Drennan said the trio had very sophisticated radios and scanners so that they could keep track of the police.

“These are the best burglars I’ve ever dealt with in my 20 years on the force,” Bradberry said.

Slidell police got a break on the case last week when police in Athens, Ga., called Detective Ralph Morel about the arrest of Schwartz for a burglary that matched the procedures used in the Slidell burglaries. Schwartz was nabbed with equipment used to disable security alarms. During the interrogation of Schwartz, Banta’s name was raised, and the police called Morel and Bradberry.

Morel went to Athens and talked to Schwartz.

“He gave up Banta and Walls,” Morel said.

Morel came back, and arrested Walls May 2 on two counts of burglary.

Schwartz told Morel that Banta was in Florida. Bradberry called the U.S. Marshals, and they arrested Banta on May 7.

Currently, Banta is awaiting extradition to Louisiana from Florida. Walls is in the St. Tammany Jail on a $250,000 bond. Schwartz is in the Athens, Ga., jail under a $24,000 bond on a burglary charge and will be extradited to Louisiana.

Bradberry said that if Banta fights extradition, it could take another 90 days before the alleged burglar is brought back to the state.

According to the Jefferson Parish detective, Banta is no stranger to burglary and has a long history with the Sheriff’s Office. Bradberry said Banta was arrested several times for stealing construction equipment. Then he started doing burglaries with five other men.

Detectives arrested Banta on burglary charges two years ago.

“He was very cooperative with us and gave up everybody in his crew,” Bradberry said. “He tries to make a deal when he gets arrested.”

Banta was released on bail, got another crew consisting of Walls and Schwartz, and started burglarizing check cashing establishments in St. Charles Parish. Bradberry said the gang allegedly did burglaries in Tennessee and Florida before coming back to Louisiana to do burglaries in Slidell and Jefferson Parish.

According to Drennan, Banta likes to keep a low profile.

“He’s not a flashy guy,” Drennan said. “He drives around in used cars.”

When the police started closing in on him, the gang split up and left town, added Drennan.

Bradberry said none of the stolen money has been recovered. He added the stolen money was “significant,” since these check cashing business keep tens of thousands of dollars in their safes.

“Check cashing places operate like banks, and we hope they will increase their security,” Bradberry said.

Drennan said his police officers will now pay more attention to false burglar alarms and “start looking at rooftops” to make sure nobody is following in Banta’s tracks.