Central Austin shop owners say break-ins keep coming and they want more from police. What APD has told the council about staffing

Owners of several Central Austin small businesses say they are fed up with repeated break-ins and vandalism, and with what they describe as a slow response from the Austin Police Department, KVUE reported on Oct. 30.

According to KVUE:

• At Magpie, a vintage and artisan shop on North Lamar Boulevard, security cameras recorded someone smashing through the glass front door earlier this week. The owner estimated at least $1,000 in merchandise was taken, including jewelry, and said the door cost $500 to replace.
• The owner of BookWoman said the bookstore has been vandalized three times at its current location.
• At Succulent Native, an employee described repeated break-ins, theft and damage. A window broken by thrown rocks has been boarded up for at least a year and a half.

The owners told KVUE they want more communication from police and more attention to the safety of workers. One said officers came to her business once after she called 10 to 12 times. Owners also noted that most of the affected businesses are owned by women. KVUE said it asked APD for comment and had not heard back when the story was published.

What our records add

Staffing is the backdrop. At the council's Public Safety Committee on Aug. 3, Police Chief Lisa Davis said APD had more than 300 vacant sworn positions, and that more than 80% of the department's overtime goes to covering those vacancies. She said retention and hiring were improving and that APD was planning a modified class for officers coming from other departments.

The council asked for overtime data. On Aug. 13, 2025, the council voted 11-0 for a resolution requiring a publicly posted monthly report on overtime use by sworn police, fire and EMS employees. Council Members Ryan Alter, Vanessa Fuentes, José Velásquez and José "Chito" Vela sponsored it.

Tools for theft cases. At a Feb. 3 work session, Assistant Chief J.J. Schmidt told the council that camera footage helps detectives build cases against retail theft rings after the fact. He said downtown cameras are recorded and monitored at APD's real-time crime center. On May 21, the council approved applying for about $1.5 million in state grant money to continue APD's auto burglary and theft interdiction project, with a city match, 9-0 with two members absent.

A recent arrest. On Oct. 27, APD announced that its North Metro Tactical Unit had arrested a suspect in a series of high-value thefts from retailers around the city, including a purse theft at The Domain. The department said she was arrested Oct. 21 on outstanding warrants and new charges, and that more charges are expected. The release does not link that case to the Central Austin break-ins.

How to report

For an emergency or a crime in progress, call 911. Non-emergency issues can go to Austin 3-1-1, whose phone agents stop answering overnight starting Nov. 1. Anonymous tips go to Capital Area Crime Stoppers at austincrimestoppers.org or 512-472-8477, according to APD's release.

What's next

The council's Public Safety Committee hears regular briefings from APD. The city's Data and Insights Hub puts the city's dashboards and datasets in one place.