Amite Woman Charged With Looting – Then Having Yard Sale

Source: ROBERT RHODEN, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
An Amite woman is accused of looting her neighbor's flooded house last year, then holding a series of yard sales to sell the goods to other residents of the area, authorities said Tuesday (July 11, 2017).
Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office reported that Danielle Mease (29) was booked Monday (July 10, 2017) with possession of stolen property, theft by fraud and looting. Mease's boyfriend, Antolin Almaguer (53) also was booked with possession of stolen property and drug charges.

TPSO began in December, 2016 investigating the looting of the house on Thomas Road in the Amite area. The house had been flooded during a declared state of emergency, and many of the homeowner's belongings were stolen, including dishes, decorations and furniture, the Sheriff's Office said in a news release. TPSO received a tip last week that Mease, who lived next door to the victim, sold one of the stolen items to another Thomas Road neighbor.
Pursuant to a search warrant, detectives discovered stolen tools, clothing, and designer handbags at Meese's home. Mease was not at home when detectives served the warrant, initially refused to turn herself in, but surrendered Monday.
Almaguer admitted that Mease held yard sales at their home, selling property stolen from the flooded house, according to authorities.