Couple Arrested For Burglary After Winning $500,000 Jackpot
Police in Michigan have arrested a married couple believed to be the culprits in a months-long burglary spree. The catch is, they were arrested just three years after winning a $500,000 lottery jackpot.
According to The Bay City Times, Mitchell Arnswald and Stephanie Harvell were arrested on charges of second-degree home invasion as well as possession of burglary tools. The couple was already struggling financially when they won the $500,000 jackpot off a $5 Hot Jackpot ticket in January 2016. They had been living paycheck to paycheck while trying to support two daughters.
In a 2016 statement, Harvell admitted that she cried like a baby after winning, considering they had received an eviction notice not long before. According to reports, they claimed they were going to use their winnings to buy a new house, car, and establish a college fund for their daughters.
But on August 29, 2019, police received news of a burglary in Merritt Township, Michigan, and found Harvell and Awrnswald in an SUV that fit the description of the crime. On top of that, they were in possession of some of the items that were reported to be stolen. The two were then arrested with other burglaries in the area being tied to them. The couple's bond was set at $50,000 each.
Surprisingly, it's not uncommon for a lottery winner to blow all of their money and find themselves right back when they started. Some winners use their winnings to participate in illegal activities such as purchasing narcotics or committing fraud. Many aren't prepared to handle more money than they've ever fathomed of having, so it's difficult for them to control themselves.
