It is common for the commission of one crime to lead to the commission of another crime. Prosecutors will often bring multiple charges against a defendant in court for crimes resulting from one incident. This is a strategy that gives the prosecutor the ability to create plea bargains. However, in some cases, there really are multiple and distinct crimes that comes from the initial incident. This is what happened in a Texas town recently.
Multiple times since Thanksgiving, residents along CR 314 in Hurro have had their mail stolen by a person or people who law enforcement has yet to identify. One resident of the area stated that he did not realize anyone had tampered with and stolen the mail at first. He only saw the mailboxes open and closed the doors. However, he later realized that something more nefarious occurred with the mail when he received alerts from his bank of fraudulent charges.
This resident was expecting a replacement bank card from his bank in the mail. When it did not come, he did not immediately suspect criminal activity, but once he got the fraud alerts, it was clear that someone had not only stolen his mail but also used the bank card to clear out his bank account.
Prosecutors should have no trouble levying multiple charges for the incident. Not only did the suspect or suspects commit mail fraud by stealing mail from mailboxes but also bank fraud for using the bank card without authorization.
These incidents have left the residents along CR 314 uneasy. Many were not home at the time of the thefts due to the holiday. Some have no idea what was in their stolen mail. They will all have to wait like the other resident for alerts or other proof that the unknown perpetrator or perpetrators may have gotten a lot more than junk mail.
Source: KVUE
