Denton Couponer Clipped For Lifting Newspaper Inserts
DENTON (CBSDFW.COM) - Sybil Hudson sits on her living room floor with a pair of scissors and her coupons. It's what she does hoping to save her family a few dollars.
She's been clipping coupons for the past year, but she never thought it would land her in jail. "I think it's ridiculous. I'm a single mom and I do this to save money," says Hudson as she flips through one coupon after another looking for a deal "Here is one for free toothbrushes."
Hudson, 37, was arrested Monday. Denton Police say it was a case of 'extreme couponing.'
Investigators tell CBS 11 News a witness caught her stealing the Sunday coupon packets from a coin-operated newspaper stand at a Whataburger in Denton. "I have done it before, I have taken newspapers when I was like moving," explains Hudson.
But this time she insists she only took the coupons from the newspapers she bought.
Hudson was originally ticketed for theft under $50, but then the charge was upgraded. "I stayed in jail for 24 hours over I still don't know what I the charge is," says Hudson.
She's charged with Fraudulent Destruction or Removal or Concealment of writing for taking more coupon inserts than she purchased. "As silly as it may sound to us or a common person it's still a serious charge," says Officer Ryan Grelle with the Denton Police Department "In Denton you can face serious charges."
If convicted Hudson could face up to a year in jail and $4,000 fine. Hudson is planning on fighting it. "What a waste of somebody – taxpayers money is what I'm thinking," says Hudson.
She hopes to fight it with what she saves clipping her coupons.
The newspaper distributor says he can't sell the newspaper without the coupon inserts. Denton Police say several distributors have reported a spike in coupon thefts in the last several months.
