Austin Police are asking for help locating visitors who might have fallen victim to a string of burglaries of hotel rooms during the first few days of South by Southwest.
On Tuesday, March 13, police received a call about the burglary of three rooms in an Austin hotel. While the occupants were out at various SXSW events burglars had forced their way into the room and stolen “electronic/technology related items,” police say. Fortunately, some of the stolen items were equipped with tracking software, which led cops to a apartment in North Central Austin where a cache of stolen goods was found.
So far, police say they’ve linked property found at the apartment to roughly a dozen area hotel burglaries. But police are having a hard time linking all that property to owners because a “significant portion” of the property has not been reported stolen. Police say they believe much of the property likely belongs to SXSW visitors who have already left town, and are asking folks who might’ve been burgled while visiting for the fest to email (APDBurglaryUnit@austintexas.gov) or call (512-974-6941) the APD burglary unit. Folks still in town who have been victims of theft or burglary or who have “witnessed any suspicious persons/behavior” at local motel and hotels should call 911.
This article appears in March 9 • 2012.