Police Seek Robbery Suspect In East Austin Robbery Attempt

AUSTIN, TX — The Austin Police Department is seeking a suspect wanted in an attempted store robbery during which a clerk was held at gunpoint last month, officials said Thursday.

The incident occurred on Dec. 17, 2020, just before 9:30 p.m. at a Family Dollar store at 2765 E. 7th St., according to a police advisory. The suspect is said to have held a store employee at gunpoint with a black, semi-automatic handgun while demanding the cashier to open the register, according to the police account.

"After growing impatient, the suspect fled the scene on foot," police wrote. He was last seen running northeast on 7th Street toward Pleasant Valley, police said. The store employee was not injured.

Police describe the suspect as standing between five feet, four inches and five feet, seven inches tall of medium build weighing about 150 pounds. He was last seen wearing a camouflage jacket, pants and head covering, black athletic shoes and black gloves while carrying a black backpack with brown accents. Police also released surveillance camera images of the suspect.

Detectives are asking anyone with information about this case to call the APD Robbery tip line at (512) 974-5092, Crime Stoppers at (512) 472-TIPS, submit a tip on the Crime Stoppers website or use the Crime Stoppers app. Police assured those submitting tips have the option of remaining anonymous, and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 should their information lead to an arrest. Tips also can be submitted anonymously through the police department's mobile app, Austin PD, which can be downloaded for free on iPhone and Android.