By Joel Langton
The 830 Times
If you’re going to mess with a business, you may want to avoid a retired Texas Ranger’s tea store.
A man who allegedly stole safety equipment from HTeaO at 301 Veterans Blvd. has been identified and taken into custody, thanks in part to community tips and surveillance footage.
The incident occurred March 28 in the alley behind the store, where the suspect was caught on camera removing motion-activated safety lights.
“These lights were there to keep our team safe,” said HTeaO owner Don Williams, a former Texas Ranger.
Williams watched the video of the culprit making off with his equipment, filed the police reports and waited. Williams posted pictures from the incident and a statement on his personal Facebook page.
“On Friday March 28th we had a visitor at HTeaO who decided to steal some of our belongings. Like most of you, we work hard for everything we have and out of concern for our great TEAm’s safety, we put motion activated safety lights in the alley. However, this thief must not know about hard work or care about anyone’s safety and stole our safety lights. Our security cameras caught him in the act and got some pictures of him. His shirt said ‘It is what it is’ and he walked with a slight limp in his right leg. If anyone has information as to his identity or whereabouts please message us or contact the Del Rio Police Dept. reference case #202500009521. TIA. (Thanks in advance)
Williams put the post on his social media page at 12:25 p.m. Thursday April 3.
In less than two hours, a friend called Williams and told him the guy on his Facebook post was “walking in front of his HTeaO.”
Williams said he ran outside, and there was the person in his videos, still sporting his shirt that said, “It is what it is.” Williams ran outside while an employee called 911. Williams asked him to hold on for a minute and let’s wait for Del Rio Police Department officers to arrive on the scene.
Williams, who did some undercover drug work during his law enforcement days, said that the suspect tossed a crack pipe in the grass while they waited.
Williams said the suspect, who is innocent until proven guilty, was charged with Theft under $100, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and he was issued a Criminal Trespass Warning for HTeaO.
“I know the Del Rio Police Department did their best to find this guy,” Williams said. “But we’re proud to be part of a community that looks out for one another.”
The writer can be reached at JoelaLangton@gmail.com .
