AUSTIN, Texas — The Austin Police Department is trying to help reunite people with their stolen phones after going to Weekend One of the music festival, Austin City Limits, early October 2018.
A package containing a large number of stolen cell phones, shipped from Austin to Florida, was intercepted by investigators with the Osceola County Sheriff's Department in Kissimmee, Florida, according to a press release from APD.
This lead to the arrest of three individuals:
- Edward Javier Garcia-Castano, age 34
- Estivenson Blanco-Rubiano, age 34
- Wilmer Arias-Arias, age 25
All three were charged by the Federal Bureau of Investigations for trafficking stolen property across state lines. Immigration and Customs Enforcement then deported the trio back to Colombia for immigration offenses.
No local charges will be filed.
Anyone who lost their phone, or reported it as stolen during Weekend One of ACL Fest, can click here to be reunited with it.
All the phones that were recovered because of this effort were photographed with the wallpaper screen showing, for the devices that were able to be powered on. The website will assist the owner in claiming the device, obtaining a shipping label then notifying APD detectives to release the phone back to the owner.
According to APD, this is the largest item reunification process the department has undertaken.
RELATED:
