Man caught on camera hiding in store he robbed, police say

Police arrested a man for robbing a Cricket Wireless store in northeast Austin on Friday when they discovered on security footage he was still hiding in the store.

Tyron Swist, 21, was charged with burglary of a nonresidence, which is a state jail felony.

Police were called to the cellphone store on Manor Road and Rogge Lane overnight Friday, Swist’s affidavit said. When officers arrived, they found broken security bars and glass from the front door, the cash register on the ground and a safe in the back office open, the affidavit said. Police began watching security footage from the store’s cameras and saw Swist run into the backroom when officers arrived at the scene and peek out from behind the door. Officials realized he was still in the building and called K-9 and backup units to assist.

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According to the affidavit, police noticed that a ceiling tile had been disturbed and that Swist had made his way into the neighboring Diamond Food Mart. Both stores share the same building, and neither store has a back door or windows, the affidavit said. Police knew Swist had not escaped.

A K-9 dog later found the man hiding in the bottom shelf of a storage closet behind three boxes of food, the affidavit said.

He was taken into custody with about $175 in cash and coins, according to the affidavit. While in the patrol car, he kicked the windows and doors of the vehicle so hard the door was flexing from its hinges, the affidavit said. He was also charged with resisting transport, a Class A misdeameanor.

Additionally, Swist was wanted on six municipal court warrants, the affidavit said.

He is being held at the Travis County Jail on $25,000 bail.

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