Licking man reports mail stolen from box; county investigating

The following are excerpts from just some of the reports recently generated by the Texas County Sheriff’s Department:

•On Nov. 15, a 76-year-old woman reported a theft had taken place at a vacant residence she owns on Route NN at Mountain View.

The woman told a deputy that between Nov. 8 and Nov. 15, someone had broken into the residence. She said there was no apparent damage to the home because the door had previously been kicked in.

She said the place had been ransacked, but she didn’t notice anything missing. She also said a hunting blind had been stolen from outside the home.

There are no suspects.

•On Nov. 15, a 55-year-old man reported that a red metal gate had been stolen from his Shipp Drive property at Licking. There are no suspects.

•On Dec. 24, a deputy was dispatched regarding a report of mail theft at a Route C residence at Licking.

A 65-year-old man there told the officer he heard his dog barking, and when he stepped outside, he observed a black Dodge truck stopped at his mailbox. He said there were two men in the truck, and the man on the passenger’s side got out and removed all the mail from his mailbox.

The deputy searched the area but didn’t find the truck or the men.

•On Dec. 10, a deputy responded to a report of a structure fire at a Route AN property at Success.

Upon arrival, the officer observed a trailer home burning. Contact was made with the 70-year-old man who owns the property, and he said he believed a man who had lived there had started the fire.

Contact was made with the suspect, and he said he didn’t start the blaze. A fire marshal inspected the scene and said the cause of the fire was undetermined.