Man Arrested for Theft After Fleeing the Scene with Alleged Stranger Also Suspected of Theft

A broadcast call regarding a shoplifter at a local store led to the arrest of a wanted suspect and seizure of suspected stolen property Saturday afternoon.

On Jan. 25 at approximately 3:45 p.m., San Angelo Public Safety Communications (Dispatch) received a call regarding a shoplifter who had just left Hasting’s Book Store located at 4238 Sunset Drive.  While officers were responding to the store, dispatch sent out a radio message stating the suspect had left the store and was traveling in a gold-colored Mercury that was headed eastbound on Houston Harte. 

An SAPD officer who was nearby conducting traffic enforcement, B. Bylsma, soon observed the suspect vehicle and initiated a traffic stop near the 900 block of Caddo Street.  During the attempted stop, the front passenger jumped from the vehicle and began to run eastbound on Caddo Street.  Officer Bylsma remained with the suspect vehicle as he broadcasted the fleeing suspect’s description and direction of travel to responding officers. 

Soon after, responding Officer R. Stuart observed the suspect running and began to pursue him.  Officer Stuart was able to catch up with the suspect, however, the suspect actively resisted being taken into custody.  Responding officers C. Barker and C. Flores arrived to assist Officer Stuart, but the suspect continued resisting the officers and refused multiple verbal commands. 

After the suspect was handcuffed, he was identified as Randy Salinas (DOB 06-15-77) of San Angelo.  Once officers placed Salinas in a patrol car, he requested medical treatment. San Angelo Fire Department Medics were requested to the scene to address Salinas’s complaints and transport him to a nearby hospital for evaluation. 

Upon his release from the hospital, Salinas was transported to the Tom Green County Jail and charged with Evading Arrest/Detention, Resisting Arrest, Felony Enhanced Theft of Property <$1,500/2 Prior Convictions, and his outstanding Warrant.  The items Salinas reportedly stole from Hastings were recovered and returned to Hastings by a witness who observed Salinas drop them as he was running from Hastings towards a nearby apartment complex.  

The female driver of the 1999 Mercury Sable, identified as a 48-year-old San Angelo resident, claimed she observed Salinas walking in the area and picked him up because he looked scared.  A computerized check of the driver showed her driver’s license was suspended and the vehicle was not insured.  

During a consent search of the vehicle, officers located a large amount of merchandise from Marshall’s retail store.  The driver claimed the items belonged to her.  Concerned the items may be stolen; officers contacted a representative of Marshall’s and requested them to the scene to view the property.  A store representative was able to determine that the items were in fact from Marshall’s, and that some of the items still had security devices attached while others appeared to have their devices ripped off them. The items, valued at approximately $800, were seized and tagged into evidence for further investigation.

The driver’s relationship to Salinas or knowledge of his shoplifting incident at Hastings is unknown.  The driver was issued citations for Driving While License Invalid and No Insurance.  This is an ongoing investigation.