Package thieves and porch pirates beware: while already considered a felony for abducting US mail packages, FEDex and UPS are now fair game.

House Bill 37, one of the many bills made law by Governor Abbott in the recently concluded 86^th Legislative Session, will criminalize mail theft. Stealing any sealed item deemed “mail” (a letter, bag, package, or any article delivered by a mail carrier) will be a felony starting September 1^st. Penalties will range from a class-A misdemeanor to a third-degree felony, so punishments will be dealt accordingly. Thieves can land themselves in prison for six months or ten years, and fines will fluctuate between $4,000 to $10,000. Everything will depend on the amount of addresses stolen from. And don’t even think about taking from the elderly or disabled—punishments and penalties will be increased even further.

Unfortunately, this porch-picking practice is far too common. Amazon is reportedly a proponent of this new Texas law and is encouraging other states to follow suit.

Here’s to hoping that thieves will now think twice before nabbing their neighbor’s Amazon Prime order!

If you are seeking aggressive criminal representation by an experienced criminal defense attorney for your Denton County criminal case or arrest in Denton County, contact the offices of Tim Powers today. There is no charge or obligation for the initial consultation. 940.483.8000 Tim Powers is an attorney licensed to practice law by the Supreme Court of Texas. Nothing in this article is intended to be legal advice. For legal advice about any specific legal question you should directly consult an attorney. Criminal Defense Lawyers with Unparalleled Passion for Success Providing Quality Representation for your Denton, Lewisville, Flower Mound, Carrollton, Corinth, Highland Village Dallas, Plano, McKinney, Denton County, or Collin County criminal case.