APD arrested 2 wanted men for robbery of South Congress arcade
AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Police Department arrested two men in connection with an armed robbery in South Austin on March 9, according to an APD news release.
At around 11:30 a.m., a detective with the APD Robbery Unit was scouring the block of South Congress Avenue for a separate incident when an arcade employee stopped him, the release said. The clerk told the detective that two men recently robbed the company.
Surveillance video from the company showed two suspects approaching the locked front door of the arcade and employees unlocking the door, the release said. Once the suspect entered, he drew a semi-automatic pistol and placed it on the employee’s head, police said.
Then, the second suspect entered and locked the door behind him, the statement said. Both suspects then asked the employee to open the arcade machines to get money. In addition, police said another employee within the company was pistol whipped and robbed.
A passerby who saw what was happening noted the license plate of the suspect vehicle, which was a pickup truck, and handed the ticket to someone inside the arcade, police said.
Security cameras were able to get good pictures of both suspects’ faces as they left the scene in the pickup truck, police said.
During the investigation, the detective discovered that the prime suspect and owner of the pickup truck was Jaylen Orlando Alfaro, 28, according to the release. The second suspect, Zacquez Manyae Victor, 25, was identified through social media profiles.
Also, according to the police, Alfaro was Victor’s musical director.
Alfaro and Victor were recently slated to perform at a venue with fellow musicians, known as Gary Spencer and Jovan Smith, the release said.
According to police, the event was not affiliated with South by Southwest.
Members of the Violent Crimes Task Force (VCTF) conducted surveillance at Alfaro’s home and saw both the robbery suspects and the pickup truck used in the crime, police said. Once Alfaro and Victor were positively identified, investigators obtained arrest warrants for them.
Alfaro and Victor were arrested and charged with aggravated robbery, according to police.
Spencer, known as the “Savage King”, was also at Alfaro’s house. He had an outstanding warrant to evade police issued by Hays County, the release said.
A fourth person, Jovan Smith, known as “Cosmo Santana,” had an outstanding warrant for criminal acts outside of Bell County, the release said.
Spencer and Smith were also arrested, police said.
Investigators also found a black handgun inside Victor’s backpack, and a second handgun was found in Alfaro’s bedroom, police said.
During an interview, Victor admitted to the robbery and said that the gun he had in his backpack was the same one he used during the robbery.
The case remained under investigation on Friday.
