During the week of December 15, the Austin Police Department North Metro Tactical Response Unit collaborated with local retailers and the APD North Criminal Investigations Division to conduct three shoplifting blitz operations in the North Austin area. These operations targeted the following areas:
 
Monday, December 16, 2024 – Mueller/Capital Plaza Shopping Centers

• Total Recovery for Monday: $582
   

Wednesday, December 18, 2024 – Domain/Arbor Walk/Gateway/Arboretum

• Total Recovery on Wednesday: $1,733.38 and 3 stolen vehicles.
   

Friday, December 20, 2024 – Lakeline Mall Area

• Total Recovery for Friday: $1,173.74.

 
As a result of these operations, the following enforcement efforts were made:

• Officers responded to 15 calls for service.
• Enforcement actions were taken that resulted in 19 Arrests or Summonses Issued.
• Officers recovered and returned approximately $3,500 in stolen merchandise.
• Officers recovered 3 stolen vehicles and interrupted a crew that was casing vehicles in the Domain area.

Monday, December 16, 2024
Case: 24-3510567
Location: Target Capital Plaza
Arrested: Patrick Edwards, Black male, 24 years of age

Patrick Edwards exited the store with unpaid items. He was detained by Loss Prevention and $125 in merchandise was recovered. He was charged with State Jail Felony Theft.

Case: 24-3510676
Suspect: Ahmad Charaf Eddine (No photo)
Location: HEB Mueller
Ahmad Charaf Eddine walked out with unpaid items and fled from Loss Prevention. He was apprehended a short distance away. $107 in unpaid groceries were recovered. He was issued a summons for Theft Class B Misdemeanor
 
 
Case: 24-3510893
Location: Home Depot
Arrested: Loyd Powell, Black male, 58 years of age

Loyd Powell walked out with Ryobi power tools and was found at a nearby bus stop. $178 recovery. He was charged with State Jail Felony Theft.

Case: 24-3510921
Location: Old Navy Mueller Shopping Center
Arrested: Rene Soto, Hispanic male, 50 years of age

Rene Soto concealed items in a reusable shopping bag and fled the store. Soto refused to stop for Loss Prevention but was located a short distance away with the stolen merchandise still in his possession. $172 in clothing items recovered. He was charged with State Jail Felony Theft as well as 7 Active Theft Arrest Warrants.

Total Recovery for Monday: $582
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
Case: 24-3530421
Location: Lowe’s
Arrested: Benjamin Boutin, White male, 34 years of age

Benjamin Boutin exited the store with a collection of unpaid merchandise. Boutin failed to stop for Loss Prevention but was located a short distance away with the stolen property valued at $407.88. He was charged with State Jail Felony Theft

Case: 24-3530431
Location: The Domain
Arrested: Juvenile

Officers responded to a FLOCK License Plate Reader alert in the Domain and located a stolen vehicle occupied by a group of juveniles who had just parked in the Palm Way area. The vehicle was recovered, and 1 juvenile was arrested on an outstanding warrant. The stolen vehicle was recovered.
 
Case: 24-3530530
Location: The Domain
Arrested: Terrel Walton, Black male, 45 years of age

A vehicle was seen engaging in a suspected narcotics sale in a parking lot at the Domain. Officers conducted a traffic stop and identified the driver as Terrel Walton. Walton had an active warrant for a narcotics offense. Walton was arrested for the warrant.

Case: 24-3530754
Location: The Domain
Arrested: Araceli Soto, Hispanic female, 17 years of age

At approximately 1:00 pm, the team responded to a report of a group of juveniles suspected of breaking into cars in the Domain.
 
A vehicle with a smashed window was located in the Neiman Marcus parking lot. That vehicle and one parked next to it were determined to have been stolen a short time earlier in IDA Sector. A group of five, four juveniles and one adult, had been captured on surveillance arriving in those vehicles and then entering Neiman Marcus.
 
Employees confirmed the suspects had selected jeans, taken them into the fitting room and came back out empty handed. Officers arrived in the area and a foot pursuit ensued with two juvenile males. Both were captured and found to be wearing the stolen jeans.
 
The remaining three suspects were located a short distance away. These three were identified through surveillance images and detained. One of these suspects was also wearing stolen jeans.
 
Surveillance footage assisted Officers in determining which suspects had been driving the two stolen vehicles. Those two suspects were charged with Unlawful Use of a Motor Vehicle.
 
Three pairs of Purple brand jeans valued at $714 were recovered from the group.
 
All five suspects were charged with Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity and the two stolen vehicles, a Hyundai and a Kia, were recovered on behalf of their owners. The adult female was identified as Araceli Soto.

Case: 24-3530964
Location: Home Depot
Arrested: Kevin Swallow, White male, 54 years of age

Kevin Swallow filled a stolen backpack with unpaid tools and fled from Loss Prevention. Swallow was detained near the business and the stolen merchandise, valued at $611.50, was recovered. He was charged with State Jail Felony Theft.

Total Recovery on Wednesday: $1,733.38 and 3 stolen vehicles.
 
Friday, December 20, 2024
Case: 24-3550462
Location: HEB
Arrested: Juan Perez, Hispanic male, 25 years of age

Juan Perez exited the store with $135.00 in unpaid merchandise and was arrested.

Case: 24-3550622
Location: HEB
Arrested: Karla Chandler-Hernandez, White female, 51 years of age

Karla Chandler-Hernandez was arrested after concealing $45.00 in unpaid merchandise in her purse and exiting the store. Chandler-Hernandez was charged with State Jail Felony Theft and an outstanding warrant for Failure to Pay Child Support.

Case: 24-3550809
Location: HEB
Arrested: Michael Nichols, White male, 59 years of age

Michael Nichols was arrested after concealing $49.99 in unpaid merchandise and exiting the store.  He was charged with State Jail Felony Theft.

Case: 24-3550940
Location: HEB
Suspect: Maria Sanchez De La Cruz, Hispanic female, 43 years of age (No photo)
Arrested: Miriam Limon-Sanchez, Hispanic female, 37 years of age

Maria Sanchez De La Cruz and Miriam Limon-Sanchez were observed concealing merchandise and were arrested for Theft. $114.62 in unpaid merchandise was recovered. Sanchez De La Cruz and Limon-Sanchez were each issued a citation charging Theft Class C, each was carrying less than $100 in merchandise. Limon-Sanchez had a quantity of suspected Methamphetamine and was arrested and charged with POCS PG1 < 1 gram, State Jail Felony.

Case: 24-3551033
Location: Home Depot
Arrested: Donald Sanchez, White male, 49 years of age

Home Depot employees called about a long-time high value, high frequency offender that had entered the store and began selecting merchandise. Based upon their knowledge of the suspect, they suspected he would stack unpaid items on a cart and exit the store with them. The suspect did exactly as expected and was detained by Officers who recovered $829.13 in unpaid merchandise. The suspect was identified as Donald Sanders. Sanders was arrested for Theft Class A. Sanders is suspected in a number of previously unsolved theft cases at various retailers in the Austin area and additional charges will be sought to resolve those cases.

Anyone with any information may submit your tip anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or calling 512-472-8477.