United States v. Best

MEMORANDUM

HIGGINS, District Judge.

This Court is now called upon to determine whether the new Federal Bank Fraud statute applies to a novel variety of theft. It is alleged that the defendants stole a United States mailbox, disguised it and placed it on the premises of the Murfrees-boro Road Branch of the Third National Bank. It is charged that they then broke the lock on the bank’s regular night depository and posted a sign directing customers to place their night deposits in the disguised mailbox. Several customers of the bank were deceived by this stratagem and placed their money in the…