Police inside Austin, Texasarrested nine suspects this week allegedly involved in four thefts at Target, Kohl’s and Lowe’s as part of a shoplifting operation near the Lakeline Mall as holiday shopping gets underway.
In one case, four people tried to hide merchandise that had not been paid for at Kohl’s in an empty stroller.
The suspects left the stroller behind when they were approached by police outside the store, but were quickly arrested. Austin Police Department said in a press release.
Police recovered approximately $1,100 in merchandise from the stroller and seized another $1,200 in stolen property found in their vehicle.
In one case, four people allegedly tried to hide merchandise at Kohl’s in an empty stroller. (Austin Police)
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.
Melain Gomez, 20, Alexis Garza, 25, Jesus Jimenez-Gomez, 22, and Jessica Gomez, 23, were charged with engaging in organized criminal activity, a third-degree felony. (Austin Police)
In the second case, a “high-value repeat offender” identified as Javier Rios was arrested after allegedly leaving an area Lowe’s with a flatbed truck containing an AC unit valued at $2,156, which he allegedly had not paid for.
Police also seized a $609 shower kit found in his car that he allegedly stole from another Lowe’s the same day.
Rios was charged with theft and state prison crimes. He also had two outstanding warrants for theft.
In the second case, a “high-value repeat offender” identified as Javier Rios was arrested after allegedly leaving an area Lowe’s with a flatbed truck containing a $2,156 AC unit that he had not paid for. (Austin Police)
“It definitely happens a lot more than people think,” Molly McClanahan, assistant manager of clothing store Hemline Austin, told me. FOX 7 of shoplifting. “I think it happens a lot more in bigger stores, where there’s more room to hide or more room to run.”
She said Hemline Austin is limiting the number of items customers can try on in an effort to prevent theft from locker 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 Donovan Clausen, 23, allegedly fled the store with $614 in stolen merchandise after being confronted by store employees.
He met a woman, Christina Shell, 44, at his car, and police say they found $1,050 worth of stolen jewelry and beauty items from Target and Kohl, 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)
In the latest case, another ‘high-profile repeat offender’ was arrested after allegedly fleeing with a woman in his vehicle.
The man, Martin Morales, 54, had reportedly left 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 for theft and state jail felony after being stopped by police. Crystal Overby, who was reportedly driving the vehicle, had an active warrant for her arrest. (Austin Police)
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Morales was arrested for theft and state jail felony after being stopped by police. Crystal Overby, who was reportedly driving the vehicle, had an active warrant for her arrest.
