Suspected Burglar Gets Taken Down by Lufkin Homeowner

According to a release from the Lufkin Police Department, a Lufkin homeowner decided to take on a man he found breaking into his vehicle. The incident took place on Broussard Street, near Winston Park.

Austin Buchleiter, 21, was arrested following a call of a fight in progress in a yard between a homeowner and man the homeowner allegedly caught breaking into his vehicle. Officers arrived on the scene to find the homeowner still fighting the burglar who was later identified as Buchleiter. Officers took over and placed Buchleiter in custody without further incident. (mug shot used from earlier arrest)

After taking him into custody, officers noticed he was wearing gloves and had a mask in his front pocket. He was also in possession of a bag containing a hatchet, gold paintball gun and air tank. The homeowner told officers those items did not belong to him, leading officers to believe they had been stolen from elsewhere.

Throughout the course of the morning four other neighbors reported vehicle burglaries. At one home officers found that a vehicle had been entered and a wallet and its contents were lying in the driveway. Two other neighbors reported their vehicles had windows broken out and that the vehicles had been rummaged through. An additional neighbor reported that his vehicle was broken into and a Marvel jacket he bought at Universal Studios was stolen. Buchleither was wearing the jacket at the time of his arrest. The jacket was recovered and returned to its owner.

Charges are pending in those additional burglaries.

Lufkin Police are also reporting Christopher Blackburn, 37, was arrested after he threatened his ex-girlfriend with a knife and stole her wallet outside Jennings Station in Downtown Lufkin.

The ex-girlfriend was reportedly trying to help him and gave him a ride to the bus station and bought him a bus ticket. Once they arrived at the bus station, he changed his mind about getting on a bus and a disturbance took place which led to the robbery. Officers found Blackburn a short time later and took him into custody.