FB & Sugar Land Sun: Special Interest Backed Mayor Allen Owen Opponents Have Something In Common (click title link for more)--

Missouri City residents Noel Pinnock and Kevin Tunstall have quite a bit in common.

They live in the same neighborhood. They both ran for public office - Pinnock for the Fort Bend Independent School District Board of Trustees, Tunstall for the Missouri City council. Both are known vocal critics of the recently passed FBISD bond proposal. And at the end of last month, they were both victims of ATM theft totaling close to $1,000 each. Both are convinced they were specifically targeted because of their political stance.


The thefts occurred in Austin, and according to Tunstall, all withdrawals happened within a 3-square-mile radius. The amounts were the same, although Pinnock lost less because he realized the thefts were occurring before Tunstall. According to authorities, the withdrawals were made using bank cards and PIN codes - bank cards the victims say never left their wallets.

"I find it more than strange, more of a strategic attempt, if you will," said Pinnock. "That's just my opinion. My speculation is someone has access to the bank database. Someone, or some people, or some group."

"If it just happened to one of us, I could chalk it up to coincidence," said Tunstall. "Once it happened to two, it smacks of collusion." . . .

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Comment: Several other pro-bond accountability & improved representation (through SMD) committee members where also being harassed during this same 3 week campaign period. Hopefully Travis County authorities will get to the bottom of these criminal activities...