AUSTIN, TEXAS — Austin police arrested 11 people during a targeted shoplifting operation in the Mueller retail corridor on April 8. The Austin Police Department’s North Metro Tactical Unit worked multiple stores along East 51st Street and Barbara Jordan Boulevard.
At H-E-B at 1801 E. 51st St., police arrested seven people, including three suspects booked on state jail felony theft of property with previous convictions. Those suspects were Michael Durham, 55; Angel Salgado, 39; and William Floyd, 54. Miguel Fragoso, 27, was booked on the same felony theft allegation, plus Class A resisting arrest, and an outstanding theft warrant.
Other H-E-B arrests included Christine Mead, 62, on Class B theft by shoplifting; Kendrick Robertson, 55, on Class C theft by shoplifting; and Chase McCowen, 34, on Class A evading arrest or detention. Police also made four arrests at nearby retailers: Adrian Amaya, 23, at Home Depot at 1200 Barbara Jordan Blvd.; Orlando White, 61, and Ashley Wilson, 31, at Bath and Body Works at 1201 Barbara Jordan Blvd.; and Michael Bilbo, 51, at Marshalls at 1201 Barbara Jordan Blvd.
Amaya was booked on state jail felony theft of property with previous convictions and Class A evading arrest, and police noted an outstanding Caldwell County warrant for failure to appear on a third-degree felony continuous violence against the family charge. White and Wilson were each booked on state jail felony theft of property with previous convictions, with White also booked on an outstanding parole violation warrant. Wilson also had an outstanding Williamson County warrant for felony theft.
No injuries were reported in the operation, which police described as a rapid-response effort at high-traffic retail sites. Citywide, property crime has been running below last year’s pace, with shoplifting among the fastest-declining categories, according to Transparent.city and Transparent.city. Still, Mueller theft and property crime remain elevated compared with broader benchmarks, according to DoorProfit.
The blitz followed earlier reporting that documented the same April 8 enforcement action and store cluster in Mueller’s retail corridor, including the H-E-B and nearby big-box and specialty retailers (Mueller Today; Mueller Today). For non-emergency reporting in Austin, residents can call 3-1-1 within city limits or 512-974-2000 outside city limits, and call 9-1-1 for crimes in progress.
Separately, the broader system handling repeat-offender theft cases has remained a public policy focus. APD has described staffing vacancies and coordination with prosecutors as operational challenges, according to KUT 90.5. State leaders have also proposed changes affecting district attorneys, while Travis County District Attorney José Garza has defended his approach, according to KUT and Axios. Case throughput has been under scrutiny after reporting that the office missed the 90-day felony indictment deadline more than 250 times in 2024, according to Texas Standard.
"The ALPR itself is very valuable. ... We have solved kidnappings and homicides and aggravated robberies, all of those more serious, to getting a stolen car back," said Lisa Davis, Chief of Police. Anyone with information related to retail crime can submit an anonymous tip through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program at austincrimestoppers.org or by calling 512-472-8477.
