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Police searching for burglar
The Austin Police Department (APD) is looking for a man in connection to a series of burglaries.
AUSTIN, Texas - Austin police are looking for a knife-wielding man connected to a series of burglaries in East Austin. Police said he might live in the area.
"He’s actually going into the houses, wow," East Austin resident Mary Garza said.
The suspect is described as a Hispanic in his 20s, 5’6 to 5’8 with distinctive tattoos on both arms. Police said he is connected to a series of burglaries, and at one point, he had a knife.
"That is really very disturbing, yeah," Garza said.
Police said the break-ins began on June 7, around 5 p.m. at a home in the 1600 block of Chatham Avenue.
"Would you say this area is safe?" asked FOX 7 Austin reporter Meredith Aldis.
"Compared to what it used to be when I first moved in, yes, it really is, I thought it was," Garza said.
For more than 30 years, Garza has lived down the street from where police said this criminal had been.
"When we moved here in ‘90, there were drive-by (shootings). Yes, absolutely, you would hear the guns going off at all hours of the day and night," Garza said.
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She said she was used to hearing helicopters circle above.
"By 2000, it had quieted down quite a bite," Garza said.
She said recently, it’s picked back up.
"I noticed that there’s been an uptick a little in the last few months, I’ve been hearing it more often," Garza said.
Austin police reported two homicides, more than 20 robberies, almost 60 aggravated assaults, and 99 burglaries in the Windsor Park area in the last year. Investigators said this suspect may live near the Windsor Park area.
"I always have the door locked," Garza said.
Anyone with any information should contact APD's Burglary unit at 512-974-6941. You may also submit your tip anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or calling 512-472-8477.