Teen suspects arrested in Hutto crime spree stole cars in Austin, police say

HUTTO, Texas (KXAN) — The Hutto Police Department arrested five people early Monday morning who they believe stole valuables from cars in a south Hutto subdivision.

Police received a call around 1:30 a.m. on Labor Day from the Glenwood Subdivision about a group of people walking around and stealing from parked cars. The suspects were juveniles, police said.

Within minutes, officers arrived and arrested the suspects, according to Lt. Nathan Spraggins, who attributes that speed to the way the department has reprioritized patrol units.

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“Being in the neighborhoods more than on the roads, really putting an emphasis on being in the neighborhoods in the final hours,” he said. “We really want our guys to be concentrated in the neighborhoods and visible so we are available for a quick response.”

Spraggins added that most of the cars the suspects stole were unlocked and valuables were visible.

Investigators said teens drove to Hutto in vehicles stolen from Austin, and cases of carjacking and vehicle theft have been on the rise.

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“In the last few months, we’ve had about 50,” Spraggins said.

Law enforcement agencies across Central Texas said the biggest concern regarding the rise in auto theft is the fact that vehicles are often used for more serious crimes.

The table below highlights the most common crimes committed in Austin involving stolen vehicles or during auto thefts for all of 2022 and most of 2023, according to APD data.

As the trend grows not only statewide, but nationally, Spraggins has a message for anyone planning to target cars in Hutto.

“Our community is not going to tolerate this,” he said. “They’re going to call us and we’re going to go out and we’re going to make it a priority to catch them.”

In the spirit of continuing to build relationships with the community, Spraggins encourages people in Hutto to attend next month’s National Night Out event on October 3.

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