Police in Austin, Texas, arrested nine suspects in connection with four thefts at Target, Kohl's and Lowe's this week as part of a shoplifting blitz near Lakeline Mall, where holiday shopping begins. .
In one incident, four people allegedly tried to hide unpaid items at Kohl's in an empty stroller.
Austin Police say the suspects left the stroller behind when they were confronted by police outside the store, but were quickly arrested.
Police recovered approximately $1,100 in merchandise from the stroller and seized approximately $1,200 in stolen property found inside the vehicle.
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In one incident, four people allegedly tried to hide items inside an empty stroller at Kohl's. (Austin Police Department)
Melan Gomez, 20, Alexis Garza, 25, Jesús Jimenez Gomez, 22, and Jessica Gomez, 23, all charged with a third-degree felony count of engaging in organized criminal activity. He was indicted.
Melaine Gomez, 20, Alexis Garza, 25, Jesús Jimenez Gomez, 22, and Jessica Gomez, 23, were charged with a third-degree felony count of engaging in organized criminal activity. Ta. (Austin Police Department)
In the second incident, a “high-value repeat offender” identified as Javier Rios was arrested after he allegedly left a Lowe's in the area with a flatbed containing an air conditioning unit worth $2,156 that he allegedly did not pay for. It was done.
Police also seized a $609 shower kit found in his car that he allegedly stole from another Lowe's that same day.
Rios was charged with theft and a state prison felony. He also had two outstanding arrest warrants for theft.
In the second incident, a “high-value repeat offender” identified as Javier Rios was arrested after he allegedly left a Lowe's in the area with a flatbed containing an air conditioning unit worth $2,156 that he had not paid for. . (Austin Police Department)
“There's definitely a lot more going on than people realize,” said Molly McClanahan, assistant manager at clothing store Hemline Austin. fox 7 Shoplifting. “I think this happens more often in large stores where there is a lot of space to hide and run.”
She said Hemline Austin limits the amount of items customers can try on to prevent theft in changing rooms.
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In the third incident, police arrested a man and a woman in the parking lot of a Target store. The man, identified as 23-year-old habitual criminal Donovan Clausen, is said to have fled the store with $614 in stolen merchandise after being confronted by store employees.
The man met up with a woman named Christina Schell, 44, in his car, and police said they found $1,050 in jewelry, beauty products and drugs stolen from the Target and Kohl's stores.
Clausen was charged with one count of theft and one count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance.
Shell was charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance.
Christina Schell was charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, and Donovan Clausen was charged with one count of theft and unlawful possession of a controlled substance. (Austin Police Department)
In the last incident, another “high-value repeat offender” was arrested on suspicion of fleeing in a car with a woman.
The man, Martin Morales, 54, allegedly left the store and fled to his car, where he was confronted by Target employees and abandoned a cart full of unpaid merchandise.
After being stopped by police, the suspect, Martin Morales, was arrested and charged with theft, a state jail felony. A warrant had been issued for the arrest of Crystal Overby, who was allegedly driving the car. (Austin Police Department)
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After Morales was stopped by police, he was arrested on charges of theft and a state jail felony. A warrant had been issued for the arrest of Crystal Overby, who was allegedly driving the car.
