Man accused of southeast Austin robbery arrested, police say
One man was arrested after the Austin Police Department accused him of committing robbery in southeast Austin on Jan. 1, the agency said in a news release.
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- One man was arrested after the Austin Police Department accused him of committing robbery in southeast Austin on Jan. 1, the agency said in a news release.
Around 4:45 p.m., officers responded to the alleged robbery in the 2000 block of East William Cannon Drive. When officers arrived on the scene, they said they found a victim who was "forced to give up her car keys under threat," according to police.
APD said the suspect, later identified as 20-year-old Jose Alexander Cruz, was waiting near the victim's place of work when she drove up. Police alleged Cruz walked over to the victim, "pressed a bag against" her and "demanded her car keys."
The victim told police she thought Cruz had a firearm inside the bag, so she "surrendered her keys."
Later in the day, the Hays County Sheriff's Office said it found a stolen parked car in Kyle. HCSO responded to a report of an attempted robbery in the area where the car was.
HCSO and the APD Robbery Unit connected Cruz to both robbery investigations, according to police.
Multiple law enforcement agencies obtained a search warrants, as well as numerous arrest warrants, for Cruz at a "known residence." He was taken into custody and booked on the follow felonies, according to police:
- Manufacturing/Delivery of a controlled substance (3 charges for this offense)
- Manufacturing/Delivery of a controlled substance causing death or serious bodily injury
- Aggravated Robbery
- Robbery
- Possession of a controlled substance
Officials found evidence connected to both robberies inside the residence Cruz was arrested at, "along with narcotics suspected to contain Fentanyl," police said.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the APD Robbery tip line at (512) 974-5092, or Capitol Area Crime Stoppers at (512) 472-8477. For the Capitol Area Crime Stoppers submission, you may submit an anonymous tip online at austincrimestoppers.org.