A Texas woman has been arrested after being caught on camera stealing keepsakes from a Houston mausoleum, authorities say.
Renee Amber Fennel, 37, was arrested Wednesday at her home in Conroe, a city around 40 miles from Houston. Fennel was caught on surveillance footage breaking into niches at the mausoleum, according to Terry Allbritton, Harris County Constable Precinct 5.
Fennel’s toddler can be seen with her mother in the footage of the allege crime and shared by police. The child has since been turned over to a family member following her mom’s arrest, Allbritton says.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by KPRC 2, the case was reported on June 15 after a theft call at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home.
The establishment’s manager told investigators that he had discovered that two mausoleum niches had been entered around 8 p.m. on June 6. Niches are described in the document as glass-fronted displays inside an enclosed mausoleum, in which cremated remains and personal belongings are kept.
Investigators noted in the affidavit that the site is usually only open to visitors during business hours, but that the doors were mistakenly left unlocked, which allowed the suspect to get inside.
The affidavit describes surveillance footage in which a woman can be seen arriving in a silver SUV and entering the mausoleum. Once inside, she unlocked several niches.
Family members provided investigators with descriptions and estimated values of items reported to be missing from the mausoleum.
One person said that a silver James Avery cross worn by the deceased at the time of death was missing, the affidavit says. The cross has an estimated value of $150.
The same person said that an aquamarine rosary had also been stolen.
Another victim reported that three gold Mahjong pieces had been removed from a 13-piece set placed in his father’s memorial, the document states. The victim said the set was valued at $3,700 before the theft, although the remaining pieces may have lost value since the set was no longer complete.
Fennel was linked to a silver Lincoln MKC, which had visible damage that matched that seen on the SUV in the surveillance footage, according to the affidavit. License plate reader data also placed the vehicle in the Houston area on the day of the incident.
Allbritton confirmed that Fennel had been arrested on two felony charges of burglary and theft from a graveyard. He added that Fennel has a “lengthy criminal history” in Harris County, including arrests for forgery, theft, possession of a controlled substance, DUI and assault.
