Thanks to everyone who has sent additional information about the recent theft of mail and the washing of checks that has occurred across the area. It appears that besides the specific mailboxes that we have been listing in our V-linc emails, that this particular crime spree is much more expansive and includes most of the Houston metropolitan area. Detective Rodriguez was featured on a local news story this past week where he discussed the scope of this current pandemic of fraud cases.

A resident was closely monitoring his bank statements this week and located a check of his that had been stolen and altered. Until the current crime spree can be curtailed, we suggest that everyone should continue to closely monitor your bank accounts and specifically to verify the amount of checks that are clearing or  being posted to your accounts. Double check that the amount of the check is the same as you originally wrote it for. Any check for a differing amount is an early warning that you may be a victim of fraud. 

Only 2 weeks until the inaugural “Birdies Fore Blues” Golf Tournament. Everyone who has registered for the event is asked to check your emails for tournament information and team formation. We are excited about tournament play that will include students from Memorial High School. Each Team will have a student playing as one of the 4-person team members. The event is quickly approaching being sold-out, but I am hearing that there are still a few spots left. Contact the event co-chairs (Hunter or Harrison Lee) for any late registration inquiries.

Tomorrow there is a Ferrari Car Club Event occurring that will include about 40 collector vehicles passing through the Villages. Anyone out walking, cycling or jogging in the morning may see these classic cars as they pass through as part of their annual Groundhog Day rally and cruise.

Officers located and recovered 2 more stolen vehicles this week in the villages. I know that everyone would be surprised to learn that one of the suspects arrested, who was driving a stolen car, also had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. Any guesses what his warrant was for?  Yup, Auto Theft. My guess is that he was driving in the area for some nefarious reason and was most likely up to no good.  In any event, he was taken into custody and the stolen vehicle recovered. We ended up the month of January recovering 8 stolen vehicles with a total value of $143,000. As always, a great job by our team in quickly locating and stopping these bad actors.

Tomorrow looks like it is going to be a great day with temperatures approaching 70 degrees. Don’t forget about the Farmers Market open from 9am – 1pm, at the First Congressional Church of Houston located at 10840 Beinhorn. Due to the Covid-19 limitations the market continues to work as an outdoor market with no food prepared on-site and no drinks. However, the selections remain vast and purchases help support local growers and vendors.

Have a great weekend. Chief Ray Schultz rschultz@mvpdtx.org 

Weekly Crime Report

Hunters Creek

1/29/21 at 1645 Hours. 900 Block of Brogden. Unlawful Use of a Motor Vehicle/Felony Warrant. Officers were alerted to a stolen motor vehicle entering the villages on Voss from I-10 and then a subsequent alert on Beinhorn Road. Officers were heading into the area and quickly located the vehicle on Brogden and initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle. Upon contacting the driver, he stated that he had borrowed the vehicle from his cousin.  The vehicle was confirmed as stolen. A check of the driver also found that he had an outstanding felony warrant for his arrest for previous Auto Thefts.  The 27-year-old male was placed under arrest and booked into the Harris County Jail and the vehicle was towed.

2/1/21 at 1530 Hours. 8400 Block of Katy Freeway. Possession of a Controlled Substance/Felony Warrant. Officers were dispatched to the area in reference to a suspicious subject in a vehicle watching customers.  Officers located a subject inside of a vehicle parked in the parking lot.  The male was found to be in possession of a Controlled Substance and to also have an outstanding felony Warrant for Credit Card Abuse. The 34-year-old male was placed under arrest and booked into the Harris County Jail.

2/3/21 at 2315 Hours. 900 Block of Voss. Towed vehicle.  Officers were dispatched to the area in reference to a stalled vehicle in the roadway. Upon arrival officers made contact with the driver who stated the vehicle was disabled. The driver refused a tow truck. The driver was unable to contact anyone who could assist him. The driver was found to have a restraining order out against him which prohibited him from contacting his family. Due to the driver being uncooperative and unable to move the vehicle, officers had the vehicle towed from the roadway for safety purposes.  

Bunker Hill

1/30/21 at 1215 Hours. 11900 Block of Mcleods. Theft of Mail.  The victim reported that mail that she had been expecting had not arrived nor has any mail at all in the past week. Information was obtained and detectives are checking with postal authorities to determine what the status of mail to the address is.

1/31/21 at 0730 Hours. 11700 Block of Country Way. Recovered Stolen Motor Vehicle. Officers were alerted to a stolen vehicle entering the villages at Briar Forest and Memorial, soon afterwards a second alert showed the vehicle to be traveling north on Bunker Hill Road from Memorial. Officers were nearby and located the vehicle at Green Bay and Bunker Hill.  The vehicle quickly sped away from officers going down Green Bay to Coachman and then driving across residential lawns in order to elude officers. Minutes later officers located the abandoned vehicle on County Way. Officers searched the area however, the occupants were not located. Inside of the vehicle officers located a laptop computer that belonged to a school district in south Houston. The vehicle had been stolen from an area north of I-10. Detectives have recovered pictures off of the laptop and are following up with the ISD PD as the pictures appear to be of students. The stolen vehicle was recovered, and detectives have taken over the investigation. 

2/3/21 at 0830 Hours. 300 Block of Belin Manor. Fraud/Threats. The victim reported that they were selling an item on social media and thought that a person wanted to buy the item.  The buyer sent a money order that was “accidently” made out for $2000 more than the price of the item and wanted the seller to send him back the extra funds. The victim realized this was a fraud and did not send any monies. Since that date the buyer has been sending threatening text messages to harm the victim.  Officers checked the phone number associated with the suspect and found it to be a spoofed number, a check with the Bank that issued the money order found that the real money order had already been cashed and cleared for a different amount and the one in question for this transaction was a fake. It appears that this fraud is being initiated out of California. Detectives have taken over the investigation. The victims’ home has been placed on a close-watch patrol due to the threats.

Piney Point

2/2/21 at 0730 Hours. 11500 Block of Raintree. Forgery.  The victim reported that upon reviewing his bank statement he located a check made out for a large sum of money pending processing. The victim knew that he had not written any large checks and investigated further and found that a check that he had written to pay a monthly bill had been intercepted, washed and reissued to a person whom he did not know and for a large amount of money.  The check in question had been placed in the US Mail. Information about the check and the payee was obtained and provided to detectives for their follow up investigation.

Texas Workforce Commission and/or Small Business Association Fraud Cases

2/4/21 at 1000 Hours. 200 Block of Bryn Mawr Cir. Fraud. Victim received notice of an SBA Loan that had been opened utilizing the victim’s personal information and identifiers.