Brownwood Woman Arrested in Connection to 8 Burglaries

BSCO Sheriff's Investigator James Stroope reported the discovery of a stolen weed-eater from a burglary in early April which initiated an investigation and led to the arrest of 26-year-old Candace Ann Schwab McNeal. During their investigation it was discovered that McNeal had been pawning other things she had stolen at pawn shops in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Stroope said. The Fort Worth Police Department advised BCSO of a burglary where McNeal was chased out of a home by a resident who was able to get the license number off McNeal's vehicle and a warrant was issued.

Stroope said that four deputies initially went to serve the warrant on McNeal at a relative's residence on County Road 572 in the Mountain View area of Lake Brownwood. An additional three deputies were called when they were met by a large dog as McNeal answered the door and then ran to hide, Stroope said.

Deputies searched the home and found McNeal hiding in a dirty clothes hamper which was built into a bathroom. Also found during the search of the residence and McNeal's vehicle were heroin and several items stolen from Brown County, Dallas, Levelland, Little Elm, Plano and other locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, according to Stroope.

Investigator Stroope stated that several crimes were solved as a result of this arrest.

"Stolen items linked McNeal to three burglaries of a habitation and five burglaries of a vehicle," said Stroope. "She had laptops, iPads, iPhones, and Coach purses she was carrying in her Explorer which was completely packed with stolen items."

According to Stroope, McNeal is believed to have worked alone in committing these crimes and faces charges of theft of property greater than $50 less than $500, possession of a controlled substance penalty grade 1 less than 1 gram, possession of a controlled substance penalty grade 3 less than 28 Grams, and fraudulent use or possession of identifying information greater than 10 less than 50, a second-degree felony.

Brown County Jail Records indicate McNeal has a history of arrests including possession of marijuana in 2004 and abandonment of a child in 2009.