STEALINGMISS HELEN
‘Ocean’s 3’ Attempt a High-Stakes Heist
No Minor Crime
On a hot summer day in late July 2018, three people entered Miss Helen’s home, forcibly removed her, put her in a stroller, and ran toward their getaway vehicle. This might sound like a typical kidnapping story, but Miss Helen is no ordinary person. She is a 16- inch horn shark living at the San Antonio Aquarium. Fortunately, their fishy behavior did not go unnoticed, and someone alerted the aquarium staff. One perpetrator drove away with Miss Helen in tow, but the other two were stopped by aquarium staff, later confessing to their involvement. Thanks to some observant witnesses and aquarium surveillance, police were able to identify the third thief and obtain a warrant to search his house. As it turned out, he had an extensive aquarium in his home and possibly hoped to add Miss Helen to his collection. After being identified, Miss Helen was returned home safely. The aquarium staff was grateful to have Miss Helen back unharmed, despite her ordeal. “She’s a tough little horn shark, I’ll tell you that,” affirmed Jamie Shank, the assistant husbandry director at the aquarium.
While many animal lovers might disagree, animals are considered personal property, so stealing them
is a crime of theft, not kidnapping. The penalties for stealing animals vary depending on each state’s laws, and some states have specific laws regarding animal theft. In Texas, larceny law designates the theft of property valued between $1,500–$20,000 as a felony. In the case of Miss Helen, who is valued by the aquarium at $2,000, the thieves committed a felony. Also, transporting certain animals requires special permits, which led to additional charges against the three thieves. The Animal Welfare Act, which was adopted in 1966, is the only federal law that regulates the treatment of animals in research, exhibition, transport, and by dealers. Interestingly, it only applies to warm- blooded animals, so if Miss Helen had needed further protection, she would be left out in the cold.
3 KEY ESTATE PLANNING ESSENTIALS
Putting together an end-of-life plan is not a fun thing to think about. The only thing less fun is imagining your loved ones trying to navigate a twisted web of assets and debts in the wake of your passing. In that spirit, here are a few key things to consider when making your end-of-life plan. List Your Accounts Even if your documents only sit in a file somewhere, list all of your accounts in one central location and make sure somebody knows where and how to find those documents. You may also consider including essential titles — think real estate and auto — in this location, along with any legal documents you might have. Communicate Clearly Make sure your wishes are crystal clear to your loved ones. A will is one of the most essential estate planning documents available to ensure your property goes where you want it to go when you pass. Be explicit about who is supposed to inherit what. If you like to keep some or all of your assets in cash, consider dividing
that up into different boxes and writing the inheritor’s name on each box. This may feel cold, but being deliberate and clear about who gets what prevents confusion and saves your loved ones from having to painfully deliberate about your wishes. Keep It Current
Once a year, review your documents and make sure everything is still up to date and accurately reflects your wishes. Doing this annually is much easier than repeating the process once things have fallen out of date. This is also an excellent time to make sure you have the correct beneficiaries listed with insurance and financial institutions. Planning can be emotionally draining, but not having a plan in place sets the stage to complicate and extend your family’s grief. This year, in the month of love, take the time to put your affairs in order. Thinking about the needs of your loved ones and planning ahead to take care of them — that is what real love looks like.
2 HEGWOOD LAW GROUP
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