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Police inside Austin, Texasarrested nine suspects allegedly involved in four robberies at Target, Kohl’s and Lowe’s this week as part of a sting operation near Lakeline Mall as holiday shopping gets underway.
In one case, four people were allegedly trying to hide merchandise that wasn’t paid for at Kohl’s inside an empty baby stroller.
The suspects left the pram behind when they were confronted by police outside the store but were quickly arrested, the Austin Police Department he said in a statement.
Police recovered about $1,100 in merchandise from the stroller and seized another $1,200 in stolen items found in her vehicle.
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In one case, four people were allegedly trying to hide merchandise at Kohl’s inside an empty baby stroller. (Austin Police Department)
Melain Gomez, 20, Alexis Garza, 25, Jesus Jimenez-Gomez, 22, and Jessica Gomez, 23, were all loaded with one count of engaging in organized criminal activity, a third-degree felony.
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 “high value repeat offender” identified as Javier Rios was arrested after he allegedly walked out of an area Lowe’s with a bed with an air conditioning unit valued at $2,156 that he allegedly did not pay for .
Police also seized a $609 shower kit found inside his vehicle that he allegedly stole from another Lowe’s the same day.
Rios was charged with theft and criminal trespass to state prison. He also had two outstanding warrants for his arrest for theft.
In the second case, a “high-value repeat offender” identified as Javier Rios was arrested after he allegedly walked out of an area Lowe’s with a bed with an AC unit valued at $2,156 that he didn’t pay for. (Austin Police Department)
“It definitely happens a lot more than people think,” said Molly McClanahan, assistant manager of Hemline Austin clothing store. Fox 7 of theft “I think it happens a lot more in bigger stores where there’s more room to hide or more room to run.”
He said Hemline Austin limits the amount of items customers can try on in an attempt to prevent theft from dressing rooms.
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In the third case, police arrested a man and a woman in the parking lot of a Target store after the man, a repeat offender identified as 23-year-old Donovan Clausen, allegedly fled the store with $614 in stolen merchandise after being confronted by store employees.
He found a woman, Christina Shell, 44, in her car, and police say they found $1,050 in jewelry and beauty items stolen from inside Target and Kohl’s, as well as 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 caught after allegedly fleeing in his vehicle with a woman.
The man, Martin Morales, 54, allegedly abandoned a cart full of items without paying when he confronted Target employees as he left the store and fled to his car.
Martin Morales was booked into state prison for burglary and criminal mischief after being pulled over by police. Crystal Overby, who was allegedly driving the vehicle, had an active warrant for her arrest. (Austin Police Department)
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Morales was booked into state prison for burglary and felony charges after being pulled over by police. Crystal Overby, who was allegedly driving the vehicle, had an active warrant for her arrest.
