Only on 13: Houston man's thousands in silver coins stolen, HPD says suspect linked to other thefts
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A package worth thousands of dollars in silver coins never made it to the person who bought it.
The Houston Police Department said someone else stepped in, showed a delivery driver a fake ID, and walked away with it.
Now, police have arrested that person and are tying him to similar thefts across our area.
A FedEx driver was stopped along his route by someone asking about a package headed to an address in Spring Branch.
But HPD said that's what happened when 28-year-old Artur Kryvytskyi showed the driver an ID that matched the name on the package and left with it.
Except, it wasn't his. The package was meant for Alan Smith.
Smith said that in July, he ordered silver coins to be delivered to the business where he works.
"I got a notification from FedEx on Monday that it had been delivered here and signed for," Smith said. "It turned out that it didn't arrive."
Smith said he saw the FedEx driver later that week and found out how his package disappeared.
"The driver foolishly handed it over to this person, and he thought nothing more of it," Smith said.
Police said this wasn't a one-off case.
Investigators said Kryvytskyi is connected to similar theft investigations in Fort Bend and Montgomery counties.
The Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office said he allegedly stole a FedEx package headed to a resident with nearly $17,400 worth of gold and silver coins.
Kryvytskyi was ultimately arrested last week at his home in The Woodlands, where law enforcement says they found more stolen items.
He now faces multiple charges from different agencies, including Fraudulent Use of an ID and Theft.
"I'm actually appreciative of the system here that they actually did catch the guy and that the FedEx driver did not get falsely accused," Smith said.
Smith said thankfully, his purchase was insured and he was reimbursed.
But even with his money back, he's still left with unanswered questions.
"The next step would be to find out if he had associates," Smith said. "And to whom he is selling this stuff? That's another step."
Law enforcement said the investigation has expanded throughout the country for similar thefts.
They said they believe there may be additional victims.
