Victim tracks thief using cell phone

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Phone-tracking technology helped solve a smash-and-grab burglary in East Austin and led police straight to the victim's stolen purse.

On Oct. 27, Sushma Patel parked her car in an area near the intersection of Fifth and San Marcos streets to meet her morning running group. When she returned, she and another runner noticed their vehicles had been burglarized.

"Our passenger side windows had been crashed into, and inside the car was just a complete mess," said Patel.

Her purse was missing, and the other man's wallet was stolen. The pair made a police report and went home.

"I started canceling my credit cards," said Patel. "That's what the police officer told me to do."

Next, she called her cell phone provider who suggested she sign up for a free trial of an online service called the family locator program. As long as a cell phone is turned on, the technology tracks where it is in real time.

"Within minutes, I was able to open a Web browser and pinpoint exactly where my cell phone was, so I called up the cop and I said, 'I think I know where they are,'" said Patel.

The technology tracked her cell phone to a motel off of I-35, but by the time police got there, the suspects were on the move.

Patel stayed on the phone with the officers and tracked her phone to Givens Park in East Austin. However, the suspects were on the move again to a nearby intersection.

Patel hung up the phone and let the police do the rest.

"This break-in happened around 6 o'clock in the morning, and around 2 p.m., they actually called me back and said they apprehended two suspects, so that was pretty exciting," said Patel.

Police also found Patel's phone and some other belongings, along with the other victim's wallet.