Mark Stephens
Featured on KHOU-TV Defenders
Mark Stephens
Featured on KHOU-TV Defenders
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The 11 News Defenders caught them on tape. People hitting up area new home
construction sites and taking materials, appliances and even entire air
conditioning units.
You might not believe who’s on the video. A couple of people that surprised
even an experienced investigator.
It’s another night, another truck, and once again, someone police say is
stealing a load of construction materials, including plywood decking.
“The guy loaded, I guess, 20 sheets of decking. Threw it in the back of his
truck and took off,” said private investigator Mark Stephens.
Our investigation found people making off with lumber. Trying to make
late-night getaways with vanloads of materials. Even digging up and carting
off trees.
KHOU-TV
A Fort Bend county dentist and his wife were caught loading up their pricey
Land Rover with sod.
Especially he says, on one recent night, when he found a Fort Bend county
dentist and his wife loading up their pricey Land Rover with sod.
“They stopped their vehicle in front of the house. They got out and both of
them started. Ran over to the pile, grabbed some grass and started to throw it
in the back of their Land Rover,” said Stephens. “Just taking it. Flat out
stealing it.”
Stephens asked the woman, “You know this is stealing, right?” Her response,
“Yes.”
Turns out, they came from their new home in another subdivision where their
grass had died.
So she offered to write the builder a check. It didn’t work. The cops took
them to jail.
“Then they realized, you know, it’s not such a funny situation. It’s a serious
issue. It’s theft,” said Stephens.
That couple pleaded guilty to misdemeanor theft charges and got deferred
adjudication probation for three months.
That means that as long as there are no other charges, they won’t have a
conviction.
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Have a question, information or story idea? Contact the Defenders
877-367-5468
877-FOR-KHOU
Now, nearly a month after Defender’s first story, private investigator Mark
Stephens is busy as ever, watching as people take what isn’t theirs and think
they won’t get caught.