Police in Austin, Texas, conducted a successful shoplifting blitz operation near the Mall this week, resulting in the arrest of nine suspects involved in multiple theft cases at Target, Kohl’s, and Lowe’s. The arrests come as holiday shopping season kicks off.
In one incident at Kohl’s, four individuals were caught attempting to conceal unpaid merchandise inside an empty baby stroller. When confronted by police outside the store, the suspects abandoned the stroller, leading to their swift apprehension. Police recovered approximately $1,100 worth of stolen goods from the stroller and seized an additional $1,200 in stolen items from their vehicle.
Four suspects, Melain Gomez, Alexis Garza, Jesus Jimenez-Gomez, and Jessica Gomez, were charged with engaging in organized criminal activity, a third-degree felony.
In a separate case at Lowe’s, a repeat offender identified as Javier Rios was arrested for walking out of the store with a high-value AC unit and a shower kit, totaling over $2,700 in stolen merchandise. Rios faced theft charges and a state jail felony, along with two outstanding arrest warrants for larceny.
Shoplifting incidents are more common than perceived, according to Molly McClanahan, assistant manager of Hemline Austin. She highlighted that larger stores provide more opportunities for theft due to the space available for concealing or escaping.
Limiting the number of items customers can try on is one measure Hemline Austin employs to deter theft from dressing rooms.
Another case involved a man, Donovan Clausen, who fled a Target store with stolen merchandise worth $614. He was apprehended in the parking lot along with Christina Shell, who was found in possession of stolen items from Target and Kohl’s, as well as narcotics. Clausen faced theft and drug possession charges, while Shell was charged with drug possession.
In the final incident, Martin Morales, a repeat offender, was arrested for theft after fleeing a Target store and abandoning a cart of unpaid items. He was apprehended by police after attempting to escape in a vehicle driven by Crystal Overby, who had an active arrest warrant.
