Texas Cop Indicted For Stealing Cash Out Of People's Wallets After Asking For ID

Chris | InformationLiberation
Nov. 20, 2014

A Texas police officer has been indicted for allegedly stealing cash out of people's wallets after asking for their ID's.

From DentonRC:
A former Denton County Sheriff’s Office deputy was indicted by a grand jury Thursday on a felony theft charge.

Joshua Garland Laningham, 29, was indicted on a charge of theft of more than $1,500 and less than $20,000 after he allegedly took money from three individuals on March 30 and April 8 while in uniform.

Laningham, a resident of Sanger, was booked into the Denton County Jail for the first time earlier this year.

Records show that Laningham ran a registration check on a vehicle in the 2100 block of Lakeview Lane on April 8. Shortly after, a resident in the same block called 911 to report that a policeman driving a marked white Tahoe had stolen money from him and a friend, according to a sworn statement submitted to the court in seeking the arrest warrant.

One man reported $300 was missing and the other man reported $1,400 was missing. In a written complaint, one of the men said he had been asked for his identification and he placed it on top of his wallet. Laningham then took the ID and the wallet to his vehicle, the man said.

More recently during investigations, Laningham was alleged to have stolen money from a third person on March 30, reports state.

He was booked into the Denton County Jail last week. He bailed out last Thursday, officials said.

According to the arrest affidavit, investigators interviewed a woman who accused Laningham of stealing money from her in March after he responded to a 911 call she made about a domestic issue.

The woman said Laningham asked her for identification and when she reached into her purse to get it, he pushed her hand away.

Laningham then allegedly reached into the purse and removed her wallet and change purse, the woman told authorities.

Laningham stepped out of the home for a short time, the woman said, and when he came back in and returned the wallet and change purse, she did not check them immediately, the arrest warrant stated.

The woman said that when she checked her wallet the next day, four $20 bills and a $5 bill were missing.
This officer's criminal act of theft is no different from everyday civil asset forfeiture, it's just on a smaller scale and was done in his "unofficial capacity," therefore it's acknowledged to be a crime.

Had he stolen these victims' entire car or home, and claimed he "suspected" they were selling drugs despite no evidence, he would have been allowed to do so legally and his theft would be celebrated.













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