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Royal Blue Grocery break-ins
Multiple break-ins in a matter of days have left Royal Blue Grocery looking for help.
AUSTIN, Texas - Multiple break-ins in a matter of days have left one downtown business looking for help.
Store owners said it's more than just an isolated incident, but a pattern of criminal activity over the years.
Royal Blue Grocery break-ins
The backstory:
The front doors of a Royal Blue Grocery in Downtown Austin were broken into.
The suspect went behind the counter and grabbed cigarettes instead of cash. Minutes later, Austin police officers entered the store, but the suspect was already gone.
This was the third time the store on 3rd St. and Lavaca has been broken into in just the last three days.
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"There’s more to be done. There needs to be a bigger voice for this issue," says Craig Staley, one of the owners of Royal Blue Grocery in Austin.
Based on video evidence, he believes the three break-ins are believed to be the same suspect. But the issue isn’t just isolated to one person and one location, it’s something that affects their stores across downtown.
"Going back about 5 years, we’ve been dealing with this on a regular basis. All our stores have been broken into multiple times," he said.
Dig deeper:
Staley believes the matter of public safety downtown comes down to better mental health legislation and increased police presence.
An audit of APD in April revealed the department had over 330 vacancies among sworn officers. Vacancies which, Staley feels, threaten the spirit of the downtown.
"If it’s not one of the safest places in Austin, Texas, then we’re at risk of losing the flavor of this city."
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East Austin business break ins
Business owners in East Austin are recovering after a man broke into their buildings.
For shoppers of `Royal Blue Grocery, the break-ins are not surprising for an area in which they feel crime has thrived.
"It’s pretty sad, it’s consistent with the area. Honestly, I’m not surprised. It's par for the course at the current moment," says Jonathan, a regular shopper at the Royal Blue Grocery.
Despite the break-ins, Staley is optimistic about the future of downtown Austin but believes the only way forward is through changes from the top.
"Eventually, we need to put a legislature in place in Texas that’s more concerned with public safety, mental health, and people’s general health."
What's next:
APD says their investigation into the break-ins is ongoing, and that as of right now a suspect has not been taken into custody.
The Source: Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's Marco Bitonel