AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin police made an arrest in connection with another burglary at a popular east Austin barbecue restaurant Monday.
According to an affidavit, the Austin Police Department arrested Michael Anthony Martinez, 32, and accused him of breaking into La Barbecue, stealing bottles of liquor and damaging the business’ door and cash register. He faces a state jail felony charge of burglary (other than a habitation).
The affidavit said police responded to the restaurant, located at 2401 E. Cesar Chavez St., at 1:45 a.m. Monday and found the door window broken and the door unlocked.
An employee of the restaurant met with APD and showed the responding officer surveillance cam footage of the break-in, where the man later identified as Martinez used a rock to break the door window and go into the restaurant. The affidavit said the video showed Martinez then grabbing multiple bottles of liquor and walking out.
The affidavit said Martinez was found a block away near East Second Street and Pedernales Street about 20 minutes later “with a liquor bottle in his hand and dry blood on him.” The photo provided to police by the restaurant employee from surveillance footage matched Martinez’s description, the affidavit said.
Martinez is listed as in custody at the Travis County Jail. An attorney wasn’t listed for him at this time.
The burglary is the latest in a string of break-ins at La Barbecue. The owner told KXAN in February about two different occasions in which the restaurant has been broken into.
