Man arrested in connection to several business burglaries in Austin
Jarvis Henderson, 34
AUSTIN, Texas - A man has been arrested in connection to multiple business burglary cases in Austin.
According to Austin police, 34-year-old Jarvis Henderson was identified as the suspect.
On July 15, Henderson was arrested for six burglary cases. On July 23, he was arrested again for a seventh burglary case.
He is accused of breaking into the following businesses:
- Whole Earth Provisions
- Westlake Eyecare
- Tomlinson’s
- Plant Society
- Houndstooth Coffee
- La Plancha
- Kindbody Fertility Clinic
East Austin break-ins
East Austin business break ins
Business owners in East Austin are recovering after a man broke into their buildings.
Local perspective:
FOX 7 Austin's Meredith Aldis spoke with a few business owners in East Austin who got together after recent break-ins. They all believed it was the same person.
"Petty crimes like this have to stop," La Plancha Owner and Chef Maria Richmond said.
"He took my iPad and my card reader, that was it," The Plant Society Owner Casey Buckingham said.
East Austin business owners come together after recent break-ins
Business owners in East Austin are recovering after a man broke into their buildings.
The burglar didn’t leave with much, but he left behind a lot of damage.
"It's very defeating to see that what the person was after was nothing really. It’s going into a business because they feel like they can or whatever it is and just caused so much damage, so much money for nothing really, maybe less than $50 worth of stuff that he stole," Richmond said.
"It just felt violating, you know, I put so much work into this little business and I never thought a plant store would get robbed," Buckingham said.
Tips for businesses to deter burglars
Why you should care:
Austin police provided some tips for business owners to deter burglars:
- Secure entry points like doors and windows. Install high-quality, heavy-duty solid doors and consider reinforcing door frames and hinges with steel or sturdy wood. For glass doors and windows, use impact resistant glass and consider external shutters.
- Remove valuable merchandise from display windows at night. Keep a complete and up-to-date inventory of merchandise and property and store high-value items in locked rooms or safes.
- Enhance visibility and lighting at all entry points, exterior sides, alleys, and parking lots. Install motion-sensor lighting in vulnerable areas. Leave some interior lights on at night so law enforcement and civilians can see inside.
- Implement security technology like alarm systems, security cameras (CCTV) and access control systems. Manage who is entering your premises using credentials like key cards, fobs, PIN codes, mobile apps, or biometric recognition to provide an audit trail. Do not leave keys on the premises- only designated staff should have access to keys.
- Establish closing routine checklist for employees to ensure all doors, windows, and other openings are locked and the alarm system is set. Regularly test your security systems and train all employees with keys and access cards on security systems and procedures. Explore systems with smart features that send real-time alerts to your phone. Install high-definition cameras with night vision, motion activation, and sound recording and place them strategically for maximum visibility, covering all entry points, critical areas, and parking lots.
- Place check-out counters near the front, clearly visible from outside. Avoid keeping large amounts of cash on the premises overnight and empty cash drawers and leave them open at closing so burglars won't be tempted to break them open.
- If you have security personnel, ensure they are well-trained and vary patrol times and routes.
- Use signs like "No Trespassing," "Security Patrolled," or "Lot Monitored by Video Surveillance".
The Source: Information from the Austin Police Department and previous coverage