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Join Telegram ChannelPolice in Austin, Texas, arrested nine suspects this week allegedly involved in four theft cases at Target, Kohl's and Lowe's as part of a shoplifting blitz near the then-Lakeline Mall. let the holiday shopping begin.
In one case, four people allegedly tried to hide unpaid merchandise at Kohl's in an empty stroller.
The suspects left the stroller behind when confronted by police outside the store, but were quickly apprehended, Austin police said in a statement.
Police recovered approximately $1,100 worth of merchandise from the stroller and seized an additional $1,200 worth of stolen property found in their vehicle.
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In one case, four people allegedly tried to hide merchandise at Kohl's in an empty stroller. (Austin Police Department)
Melain Gomez, 20, Alexis Garza, 25, Jesus Jimenez-Gomez, 22, and Jessica Gomez, 23, were all charged with one count of engaging in organized criminal activity, a third-degree felony degree.
Melain Gomez, 20, Alexis Garza, 25, Jesus Jimenez-Gomez, 22, and Jessica Gomez, 23, were charged with one count of engaging in organized criminal activity, a third-degree felony . (Austin Police Department)
In the second case, a “repeat high-value offender” identified as Javier Rios was arrested after he allegedly left a Lowe's in the area with a flatbed equipped with an air conditioning unit worth $2,156 that he would not have paid.
Police also seized a shower kit worth $609 found in his vehicle that he allegedly stole from another Lowe's the same day.
Rios was charged with theft and a state jail misdemeanor. He was also the subject of two outstanding arrest warrants for theft.
In the second case, a “repeat high-value offender” identified as Javier Rios was arrested after he allegedly left a Lowe's in the area with a flatbed equipped with an air conditioning unit worth $2,156 which he had not paid. (Austin Police Department)
“It definitely happens a lot more than people think,” Molly McClanahan, assistant manager at Hemline Austin clothing store, told FOX 7 about shoplifting. “I think it happens a lot more in larger stores where there is more space to hide or more space to run.”
She said Hemline Austin limits the amount of items customers can try on to try to prevent locker room theft.
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In the third case, police arrested a man and woman in the parking lot of a Target store after the man, a repeat offender identified as Donovan Clausen, 23, allegedly fled the store with $614 in stolen merchandise after was confronted by store employees.
He encountered a woman, Christina Shell, 44, in his car, and police said they found $1,050 worth of jewelry and beauty items stolen from Target and Kohl's, along with narcotics.
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 Shell was charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance and Donovan Clausen was charged with one count of theft and one count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance. (Austin Police Department)
In the latest case, another “high-value repeat offender” was arrested after allegedly fleeing in his vehicle with a woman.
The man, Martin Morales, 54, allegedly abandoned a cart full of unpaid items when he was confronted by Target employees as he left the store and fled to his car.
Martin Morales was arrested on state jail theft and misdemeanor charges after being stopped by police. Crystal Overby, who was driving the vehicle, had an active warrant for her arrest. (Austin Police Department)
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Morales was arrested on state jail theft and misdemeanor charges after being stopped by police. Crystal Overby, who was driving the vehicle, had an active warrant for her arrest.