Cheap crime costs hard time

A Jefferson County Grand Jury handed down felony indictments to a couple dozen Southeast Texas residents July 19, of which a common ground for crime was discovered at area dollar stores, of all places.

Beaumont resident Darrell Cooper Sr., 63, was indicted on the state jail felony charge of criminal mischief ranging between $2,500 and $30,000, causing pecuniary loss to the vehicle of an off-duty Beaumont Police Officer. Gregory Hubbard, the off-duty officer, advised BPD that, as he exited his vehicle at the Dollar General on 8455 Phelan Blvd., he encountered Cooper at the entryway, who solicited a cleaning product.

Without consent, Cooper allegedly began applying the product on the headlight of Hubbard’s vehicle, and when the off-duty officer ultimately declined to purchase the product, Cooper entered the store and demanded payment for the demonstration. Following the officer’s denial of payment, he watched as Cooper walked from the front to the back of his vehicle with his hand outstretched and, upon exiting the store, Hubbard observed visible damage to his vehicle.

Cooper left the property on foot, but Hubbard followed close by until Beaumont PD Detective J.P. Courts arrived to investigate. Cooper was taken into custody on unrelated outstanding warrants, and later charged with criminal mischief.

Charish Lawrence’s grab-and-go shopping trip to the Dollar General at 3710 Highland Ave. garnered her a state jail felony for theft of property after stealing less than $10 in merchandise on Feb. 10. According to the probable cause affidavit for her arrest, the 38-year-old Beaumont resident’s criminal record includes three prior theft convictions ranging from 2004 to 2016, resulting in her most recent shopping spree being classified as a felony.

Port Arthur resident Joshua Stafford, 27, was indicted on the state jail felony charge of debit card abuse, after finding and using someone’s debit card without their consent.

The female shopper notified officers that she had apparently dropped her debit card as she was leaving the store, and later discovered 10 fraudulent transactions at various stores in the area including Oprah’s Beauty Supply for $112.56 and Family Dollar #10184 in the amount of $36.86. Store security footage displayed a face familiar to Port Arthur Police Department, as Stafford was easily identified by a PAPD detective.

Much like any other retail establishment, area dollar stores face their fair share of petty theft incidents, but the increase in crime at the value-based shopping establishments is notable in recent history.