Austin Theft Suspect May Be in Houston

HOUSTON - Austin police are asking for help from residents in the Houston area to find a suspect in a series of thefts since he may also be from the area.

Crime Stoppers of Houston and Austin Police Department investigators say the suspect obtained personal and bank information from people and used the information to produce counterfeit checks and drivers licenses. The man may be traveling around Texas and using the fake checks and identifications to buy Walmart gift cards valued at $2,500 in each store.

One person had more than $12,000 in counterfeit checks written in their name with their information, according to investigators. One Walmart in central Texas had a loss of more than $30,000 after the suspected thief targeted the store several times with the falsified information.

Most of the victims whose personal information were stolen are Houston-area residents, which leads investigators to believe that the suspect could be from the Houston area and traveling into other cities and towns to use the stolen information.

The theft suspect is described as a muscular black male in his mid-30s. He may be wearing a Bluetooth headset in his right ear along with several pieces of gold jewelry, including a watch, chain and bracelet. Surveillance video from a San Antonio Walmart captured the suspect possibly driving a white minivan.

Crime Stoppers is willing to pay up to $5,000 for any information that leads to the identification, arrest and/or charging of the suspect in this case. Anyone who contacts 713-222-8477 with information on where the supsect can be found will remain anonymous.