APD working to identify victims after string of storage unit burglaries

Jesus Yanez restores furniture for a living and works out of a storage unit off of Burnet Road.

"I love my work," said Yanez. "It’s therapy for me."

So when someone broke into his unit and stole specialty tools, it hit hard.

"It wasn’t too much, but it was too much for me," said Yanez. "I had to get a loan and start purchasing the tools that I need as I go."

It’s unknown if Yanez’s case is connected to a series of storage unit break-ins being investigated by Austin Police Department.

But the reality is, he’s not alone.

APD Detective Dawn Hanson believes 50 to 100 people may have been affected in this recent string that dates back to at least March 2021.

In December, Ian Roben Austin Linsey was apprehended by DPS in a stolen U-Haul.

"Literally, the van was full of property from the back of the seat to the back of the van all the way to the ceiling," said Det. Hanson. "There were tools, music equipment, guitars, keyboards, anything you can imagine was in there."

The storage facility employees did not know units were burglarized, therefore tenants have not been contacted, police said.  (Austin Police Department)

Det. Hanson said Linsey is a "master lock picker." That means victims may not know they were targeted unless they notice an item is missing.

Linsey has since cooperated with police and has led them to almost 500 pawn shops he sold to since March 2021. He also provided a list of units he targeted.

But it’s a case that has taken Detective Hanson across state borders as she tries to track down items, some that have sentimental value.

For example, an Ovation guitar that was stolen from Oak Hill ended up being purchased by a buyer in Florida. That buyer has already sold it to somebody else.

"It’s very sentimental to the gentleman who had it," said Det. Hanson. "The family was fractured for over 13 years, and they all got together and pitched in for this guitar and gave it to him as a peace offering."

Det. Hanson also shared some musical instruments that have been reported missing that she hasn’t been able to track down. Those include three different-sized Zildjian cymbals and a black Zildjian cymbal bag.

Det. Hanson believes other storage units may have been targeted and urges anyone who has a unit to check it for missing items. 

There’s also a measure you can take ahead of time. It’s something Det. Hanson learned when she started working in the burglary unit.

"I would ask people, ‘Hey, do you have the serial number?’ and they said, ‘No, we didn’t think to write it down,’" she said. "And I went home the very next weekend and I started inventorying all my stuff."

If you have any information or believe you may have been a victim, contact Detective Hanson at (512) 974-4457 or email Dawn.Hanson@austintexas.gov.

Below is a list of storage units that were affected:

  • 1321 W 5th St., Public Storage
  • 1213 W 6th St., Public Storage
  • 10931 Research Blvd., Public Storage
  • 12318 N Mopac Expy., Public Storage
  • 2301 E Ben White Blvd., Public Storage (S. Industrial Dr.)
  • 1507 W William Cannon Dr., Security Self Storage
  • 6204 Oakclaire Dr., Stash-N-Go Oakhill
  • 1714 E Parmer Ln., Life Storage
  • 2707 ONeal Ln., Stash-N-Go Storage
  • Unknown storage units in Kyle and Buda
  • Storage units in Pflugerville behind Casa Garcia’s
  • Unknown storage units in Thorndale

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Storage units burglarized across Central Texas, suspect arrested

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