Extreme couponing cost a Denton woman a criminal charge Monday afternoon.
Police conducted an investigation after a man hired to watch local newspaper stands saw a woman in a black Cadillac SUV stop at two different vending racks, insert money for one Sunday newspaper and remove the plastic coupon packages from every newspaper in the rack, according to police reports.
The man called police about 8:30 a.m. June 5, saying he had been hired by the vendor to watch the racks and try to discover who was stealing the packages. The papers cannot be sold if the coupons are missing, he told officers.
He saw the woman stop and take coupon packages from a vending box in the 1700 block of Malone Street. Then he followed and stopped behind her at another rack on Sunset Street a few minutes later, and she again opened the newspaper vendor box.
He approached her and told her that police had been called. He told her to wait there with him for officers to arrive. But the woman would not wait, according to the report. She climbed into hervehicle and drove away.
The man was able to describe the woman and the SUV to police, who launched an investigation. Officer Ryan Grelle said detectives arrested Sybil Hobson, 37, of Denton, about 4:30 p.m. Monday on a charge of fraudulent destruction or removal or concealment of writing, which is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a $4,000 fine and up to one year in jail.
Grelle said the woman at first was arrested on a Class C theft charge, but after conferring with the Denton County District Attorney's Office, detectives determined that the more serious charge was appropriate.
Other reports
2600 block of West Oak Street - Two men burst into an apartment with a gun Monday afternoon, according to a police report, and left with a laptop computer.
The victim said he was in his living room when two men came in. One was wearing a bandanna over his face and pointing a gun at him. The second man remained in the hallway watching the door, he said. The first man demanded cash.
The victim said he didn't have any money and offered to write him a check. The man at first said his name was Jones, then thought about it and became angry. He took the victim's computer and they left.
1200 block of Egan Street - A woman reported to police Monday that her baby sitter left her three young children and disabled grandmother alone and left, taking along stolen clothing, about $400 in change and $1,500 from a dresser drawer.
The grandmother called the woman about 7 p.m. She said the baby sitter walked out two hours earlier carrying two large paper bags. The baby sitter said she was taking out the trash, the grandmother said, but she never returned.
2200 block of West Oak Street - A woman reported Monday that a man she picked up at the A-train station stole her laptop computer.
The woman said she met the man at the train station and invited him home with her. She knew him only as "Giovanni," she said. He said he was homeless and didn't have a cellphone. He stayed two nights with her. When she awoke on the second morning, the man was gone and so was her computer.
She described him as a white male about 6 feet, 2 inches tall, weighing about 300 pounds, with long black hair and gray eyes.
4500 block of Ganzer Road, Krum area - A man reported that someone stole his discarded license plates from a trash receptacle.
He said he replaced his old plates with handicapped plates and put the old ones in a trash bin. Recently, he received a letter from a Harris County agency requesting a toll payment. The letter included a photo of a pickup bearing his old plates, he said.
Roundup
From 7 a.m. Monday to 7 a.m. Tuesday:
• Denton police handled 232 service and officer-initiated calls, including six reports of criminal mischief, 17 thefts, four burglaries, one report of credit card abuse, one robbery, two frauds, one sexual assault, two domestic disturbances, one report of harassment and one criminal trespass.
• Denton County sheriff's dispatchers handled 741 service and officer-initiated calls for the agencies they serve. Twenty-five people were booked into city jail. Deputies took reports of one criminal mischief, two thefts, one suicide and one forgery.
• Denton firefighters responded to 16 medical calls, one request to assist an invalid, two traffic accidents, one smoke investigation and one gas leak.
Argyle firefighters responded to one traffic accident.
Aubrey firefighters responded to four medical calls and one traffic accident.
Krum firefighters responded to one traffic accident.
Lake Cities firefighters responded to three medical calls and one structure fire.
Oak Point firefighters responded to one request to assist a citizen, one structure fire and two medical calls.
Ponder firefighters responded to one grass fire.
Pilot Point firefighters responded to three medical calls.
Sanger firefighters responded to two medical calls.
DONNA FIELDER can be reached at 940-566-6885. Her email address is dfielder@dentonrc.com .
Denton County Crime Stoppers will pay a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest in these or other crimes. Callers will remain anonymous. Call 1-800-388-TIPS (8477). Reach the Denton police narcotics tip line at 940-565-5801.
