Two people, identified as Joanna Cortez and Octavio Trevino, faced a setback in their shopping spree this week when deputies from Constable Mark Herman's Office caught them lifting a sizeable cache of goods from the Houston Premium Outlets. The incident, which unfolded on June 15, was confirmed by the officers who arrived at the scene following a theft report at the Kate Spade store. Cortez and Trevino were detained after trying to hustle out with merchandise they hadn't paid for.
Upon their arrival, deputies found an assortment of handbags and goods, totaling over $2,300 in value, on the suspects. The stolen items had been concealed and were past the last register before the suspects were apprehended. While fleeing the crime scene with their haul, one of the suspects, a convicted felon known as Trevino, turned out to have a leg up on his accomplice – his bond was set higher at $4,000, according to a statement from Constable Mark Herman's Facebook page.
Investigations into the history of the duo has turned a few heads. Cortez herself was not unfamiliar with the legal system, being out on bond for two unrelated theft charges. The backdrop of repeated offenses raises questions about the cycle of crime and recidivism. Trevino's record was even more colorful, with multiple theft convictions staining his past.
"Both suspects were arrested and booked into the Harris County Jail, charged with Theft. Octavio Trevino's bond was set at $4,000.00 out of the 263rd District Court. Joanna Cortez's bond was set at having been caught with her hands in the proverbial cookie jar again, at $1,000.00 out of County Court 6,"Constable Mark Herman's post elucidates. Such a chapter in their lives, laden with the weight of legal repercussions, might offer a moment for society to reflect on its part in the saga – are we doing enough to stem the tide of theft, or just punishing it?
