The arrests come following rapid coordination between Pleasanton police and law enforcement in Katy and Houston. All the stolen merchandise has been recovered.
PLEASANTON, Texas — Pleasanton police say an early-morning burglary at a local sports store led to the rapid recovery of $20,000 in stolen merchandise and the arrest of two suspects in Houston. Meantime, two other suspected thieves remain at large.
Officers responded to the Hibbett sports store on the 2000 block of W. Oaklawn Road at around 4 a.m. on Wednesday after an alarm was triggered.
Investigators discovered the rear metal paneling of the building had been torn open. Images provided by police show a massive hole they say was used to enter the inventory room of the store. Thousands of dollars worth of merchandise, predominantly shoes, was taken during the quick operation.
Surveillance evidence helped detectives identify two suspect vehicles, including a white van and a dark-colored Sedan. The investigation brought detectives to Katy where the police department there had surveillance footage showing the suspects before their journey to Pleasanton.
The investigative trail then led to Houston, where the Houston Police Department’s Criminal Apprehension Team and SWAT located the van, searched a connected residence and recovered the stolen merchandise. Two suspects were taken into custody during a standoff.
Pleasanton detectives traveled to Houston on Aug. 14 where they interviewed the arrested suspects who remain in custody at the Harris County Jail.
The jailed suspects are 32-year-old Kelvin Tillman and 19-year-old Sedric Ridley of Houston.
“We would like to thank the Katy Police Department and the Houston Police Department for their outstanding support and collaboration in this case. Without their assistance we would not have been able to identify the suspects and recover the stolen property,” said Pleasanton PD in a press release.
The investigation continues to locate the remaining two suspects.